West Harbour Arts Charitable Trust

13/07/2025

It’s time to celebrate the arts in West Harbour again! WHACT is elated to announce Beau Cotton, incredible maker and West Harbour local, as our 2025 Artist in Residence!

Many will know Beau Cotton (Ngāi Te Rangi; he/him) from his roles in our local café scene, but did you also know he is highly acclaimed as a maker of jewellery and wearable sculptures? He has studied fashion in London, media arts in Hamilton, Toi Māori in Ōtepoti, and was recently awarded the Robinson Law Highly Commended prize at the 2025 Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards for contemporary New Zealand art. He has exhibited at Bowen Galleries, Wellington; Olga Gallery, Dunedin; Midden Studios, Portobello; and Pea Sea Art, Port Chalmers.

For two weeks this November, Beau will work alongside tamariki of Port Chalmers School, Pūrākaunui School, Port Chalmers Kindergarten and Pioneers Kōpūtai ECE to consider the question, 'what makes something valuable?' Can something be special, ‘just because’? Look out for posters around Port and further announcements in social media – and know that whatever the kids create with Beau, it will be environmentally sustainable and close to all of our hearts!

27/11/2024

21/08/2024

Okay, we say a version of this every year, but this is a really special residency and we’re so excited about it. This year, we’re very proud to announce that our artist in residence is Port School alumnus, West Harbour born and raised, sculptor Jerry Howlett. If you’re lucky enough to have seen Jerry’s work, you’ll know sculptor doesn’t quite do it. Jerry is a story-teller who creates entire worlds in his work; worlds that reflect and reimagine the world we know. Jerry’s current practice considers pressing environmental issues, both in the final form of the work and in the components he uses to make it, and he approaches it with hope and imagination; two things we want very much for our tamariki as they grow up in a rapidly changing and uncertain world. We hope that in working with Jerry, our tamariki will not only come away with the experience of creating a sculpture with him but an empowered perspective on their place in the world, and a new way of expressing their feelings about it. We also hope that working with an artist who took part in the residency as a student himself not so long ago helps our tamariki see what is possible for them.

Read more about Jerry on his website www.jerryshowlett.com and follow along here with his residency in November. It’s going to be fantastic.

Jerry S Howlett is a Dunedin sculptor. Creator of miniature sculpture art, surreal dreamscapes and new worlds

21/11/2023

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the mural unveiling and celebration on the 5th November. The mural looks amazing!

A big thank you to Kate Stevens West (Kai Tahu) for facilitating this wonderful, permanent artwork for our community to enjoy for many years to come. Thank you to Käti Huirapa Runaka Ki Puketeraki (especially Rua & Nikki) and Taylor and Tahu from Te Korowai o Mihiwaka (Orokonui Ecosanctuary) for the invaluable input to the narrative.

Also, thank you to Rachel Brooking for opening our ceremony, the children who spoke about the kaupapa of the mural, and Port Chalmers School Kapa Haka and Marimba Band for performances on the day.

And finally, thanks again to our sponsors: North Dunedin Shed Society Inc. , West Harbour Community Board - Dunedin, Port Otago, Union Co CafeThe Dunedin City Council, Otago Community Trust, and everyone else who volunteered their time during the residency.

Please take a closer look at the mural at Watson Park, behind the playground.

15/11/2023

03/11/2023

Look your last at this forgettable fence at Watson Park; after the unveiling on Sunday, it will boast a beautiful mural telling a story of this place by Kate Stevens West and the tamariki from Pūrākaunui and Port Chalmers Schools, Port Chalmers Kindy, and Koputai ECE. We warmly invite all of you to come and be part of this special occasion! Proceedings begin at 11am on Sunday 5 November at Port School; we will hikoi together to the mural site for the unveiling, and then head back to school for entertainment from the Marimba Band and food! Don’t forget cash for the stalls, and bring a picnic blanket so you can make yourself at home. See you there!

31/10/2023

Kate’s residency is underway and we’re excited to officially announce that her project with our tamariki is a public mural. Based on local history from our mana whenua from Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki, and with input from Te Korowai o Mihiwaka (Orokonui Ecosanctuary), the mural will feature endemic flora and fauna, illustrating their connection to each other and the whenua. We warmly invite you to the unveiling and celebration this Sunday 5 November at Port Chalmers School; we will have food stalls and extra special entertainment from Port School. Please come and make our event even more special. Our sincere gratitude to the people and organisations who have made this project possible ❤️

19/10/2023

The North Dunedin Shed Society Inc. have nailed it! Ngā mihi nui to the shed members who have jigsawed all the cut-outs for our West Harbour children to paint for this year’s artist in residence programme!

We are excited to welcome artist Kate Stephens West next week to start working with the children on her mural project. Come along to the grand unveiling at Watson Park Sports field in Port Chalmers on November 5th at 11am to see what the shapes become!

11/06/2023

We are thrilled to announce our 2023 Artist-in-residence, Kate Stevens West! Kate (Kāi Tahu, Pākehā) is a Wellington painter with ancestral ties to Te Wai Pounamu. Her practice revolves around family, those long gone, and those still at her feet. Coming from a background in design, she started painting after spending a decade birthing and rearing her 4 children, who are now 5, 7, 11, & 13. Her work explores Kāi Tahutaka working with historical research, traditional paints and pigments. She has work in public and private collections around NZ & is currently working towards a solo exhibition of paintings of her ancestral grandmothers (all the greats!) at Bowen Galleries in Wellington later this year. http://katestevenswest.com/

26/11/2022

West Harbour Arts Trust members putting the children’s self portraits in frames. They look amazing! See you at the parade and exhibition today at 11am at Port Chalmers School. Bring cash for food stalls and coffee.

25/11/2022

Today is the last official day of Edith’s residency, it’s been such a joy having her here sharing her talent, her humour, and her warmth with us, and we and the kids are going to miss her!

But we are excited to share the work, and to celebrate the residency on Sunday - our first parade in two years! The Marimba Band have been practicing and Edith is busy working through the many photographs taken in preparation for the exhibition.

We hope you’ll join on us on Sunday - 11am at Port School; first the parade around Albertson Ave, and then back to school for the Marimbas and the food stalls (don’t forget some cash for those!). See you there!!!