Te Wāhi Toi/The Arts Place exists to connect the creative community of Queenstown and Wānaka with audiences, students, teachers, spaces and each other. We are a not-for-profit organisation powered by Three Lakes Cultural Trust and inspired by local arts and culture.
What is Te Wāhi Toi?
Te Wāhi Toi is a creative directory, a leading source of all things arts and culture, and a place to find, support, and connect with our creative community. A place for arts, culture and community to collide. Here, you'll find a creative directory for artists and practitioners to list their profiles, a What’s On page to keep you in the loop…
Here, you'll find a creative directory for artists and practitioners to list their profiles, a What’s On page to keep you in the loop about creative events in Queenstown, Wānaka and surrounds, and a Find a Space tool where artists can locate places to practice, exhibit or work.
In short, Te Wāhi Toi exists to nurture, grow, and help the arts, culture and creativity of our district to thrive. We’re here to work alongside and uplift our creative community, providing the connections, tools and resources needed to cultivate and flourish in our district.
So, what’s in it for you? Te Wāhi Toi offers a range of tools, resources and benefits for you to explore. And it’s all completely free.
Our Creative Directory provides a central hub dedicated to highlighting and showcasing creatives in our district - both individuals, groups, and businesses. If you’re looking to collaborate, book someone for an event, commission an art piece or you’re simply curious, here’s where you’ll find an extensive collection of local creatives.
As an individual practitioner, a creative organisation, a dance group, a band or anything in between, you can create a free listing in our Creative Directory and share all that you have to offer our district.
Profiles will include a profile picture, name, a description of what you offer and examples of your work, amongst other things.
2. What’s On
Our What’s On space is just that - a what’s on guide to all things arts and culture in Queenstown, Wānaka and surrounds. A central hub for locals and visitors alike, this is where you’ll discover upcoming events, plan your trip, and share local events with the community, big or small.
Create a free listing to share your upcoming event with our district. Listings will include an image, a description, ticket information if applicable, and any other information you wish to include.
3. Find a space
We recognise that finding creative spaces - whether a studio, a performance venue or a place to meet up with other creatives - can be increasingly difficult. That’s why we’ve created a place to find and list creative spaces from within our community. Whether you’ve got a garage perfect for band practice, a stage for performing artists, a small studio tucked away in Wānaka or an outdoor venue, this is the place to list.
Create a free listing to share your space with the community. Listings will include an image, a description, venue size, pricing if relevant, and other relevant information.
4. Personalised newsletters
Add a little art and culture to your inbox, with a personalised newsletter tailored to your interests. When you sign up to Te Wāhi Toi, you’ll have the opportunity to select several categories that are of interest to you. We’ll get specific with this, because we’re not here to clutter your inbox.
Instead, we’ll send you a tailored newsletter that you’ll actually want to read, full of real events, creative connections and local art news that are of interest to you. The power is in your hands on this one - you’ll be able to see more of what you love and less of what you don’t.
Not only will you receive a personalised newsletter dropped right to your inbox, you’ll also have access to a personalised feed on the Te Wāhi Toi website. You’ll be able to save your favourite listings and view recommended listings right from the ‘My Portal’ space. You’ll get a Te Wāhi Toi experience that’s directly tailored to you.
From signup to personalised newsletters to creating your listing, we’ll walk you through the steps of joining the Te Wāhi Toi community.
1. Sign up
First things first, start by signing up to Te Wāhi Toi. Here’s where you’ll select your preferences and interests, which is how we’ll know what info to send you in your personalised newsletter, and what listings to show you on your personal recommendations feed.
2. Explore the website
Have a browse through our Creative Directory, check out What’s On in our district, or Find a Space. You can read through recent News from our community, our find out more about Te Wāhi Toi and how we came about in the Our Story space. The website is your oyster.
3. My portal
Once you’ve explored the website, head to ‘My Portal’. That’s where you’ll find your favourite listings and your personal recommendations. It’s also where you’ll be able to Add a Listing.
4. Become a creative contributor
To create a listing for the first time, we’ll first need a few more details from you to get you signed up as a creative contributor. You’ll only need to do this the first time you list. Click on the ‘Add a listing’ button in your portal, and you’ll automatically be taken to the signup screen.
5. Add your listing
Once you’ve signed up as a creative contributor, you’re now ready to add your first listing. Head to your portal, and you’ll be able to add your free What’s On, Creative Directory or Creative Space listing.
You’ll need to fill in some details about your listing, including a title, a description, and an image. Depending on what you’re listing, there’ll be a range of other information to fill out too. We recommend being as detailed as possible in this section to put your best foot forward.
For more tips and ideas, check out our blog How To Create a Strong Listing. Or, if you need an extra hand with your listing, get in touch with us for assistance.
6. Approval and going live
Once you’ve submitted your listing, a Te Wāhi Toi curator will give it a final review. Once your listing has been approved, it will officially be live on the website, ready to be viewed.
So there you have it, your guide to all things Te Wāhi Toi. If there is anything you’re unsure of or if you have any queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. We’re always happy to help.
