The country’s largest outdoor art event, NZ Sculpture OnShore, will open at the spectacular clifftop park, Operetu Fort Takapuna, in Devonport.
The biennial exhibition, now in its 29th year, will run from the 8th to the 23rd of November, transforming the historic military site into a vibrant celebration of creativity for an important cause.
Monumental multi-metre-high sculptures, playful and colourful works, sound and light installations, and site-specific pieces will be showcased against sweeping views of the Hauraki Gulf.
Proceeds from the exhibition go to Women’s Refuge NZ, supporting women and children fleeing domestic violence. As the charity’s biggest fundraising event, this year’s funds will support women and children facing extreme hardship through the Sievwright Fund and counselling services, ensuring care as they seek to move forward in their lives.
NZ Sculpture OnShore general manager Dee Paranihi said this year’s exhibition bursts with colour, creativity, and imagination.
Curated by Sally Lush, this year’s exhibition features artworks by returning favourites and first-time artists from across New Zealand.
A highlight of the 2025 exhibition is the introduction of the Women’s Refuge NZ Sculpture of Strength Award, a new recognition honouring artists whose work amplifies the values of safe homes, strong communities, and collective healing.
Unlike traditional art prizes, this award is not based on competition, but on honouring an artist whose work embodies the kaupapa of Women’s Refuge NZ.
This year’s inaugural recipient is Taranaki artist Daniel McKerrow, recognised for his breathtaking three-metre-high sculpture Whakaruruhau, depicting a wahine cloaked in flowing copper kākahu.
Visitors are encouraged to take selfies alongside Whakaruruhau and share them on social media, helping raise awareness and spark conversations about family violence and the importance of community action. They are also invited to ‘take a step forward’ by climbing the staircase created by Whangārei artist Peter Brammer, part of his Thoughts of Freedom sculpture.
This year’s exhibition introduces two exciting new elements: The Take a Seat Trail, a whimsical journey of artistic seating along the coastal paths and gardens, inviting visitors to pause, reflect, and engage; and The Garden Art Series and Gallery, an expanded offering featuring a curated collection of smaller-scale sculptures nestled outdoors, available to take home on the day purchased.
Artwork by students from a record 20 schools across Auckland will fill the underground Fort and its tunnels. It includes Ngā Mata Pūrakau: The Faces of Legends, a collaborative mask-making project involving Takapuna Grammar Year 9 students mentoring younger tamariki from primary schools across the Devonport peninsula.
The underground Fort, one of the few times it is open to the public, will feature the masks lit under UV light, bringing the students’ stories vividly to life.
Five schools are exhibiting for the first time this year: Bayfield Primary (Herne Bay); Marlborough Primary (Glenfield); Auckland Normal Intermediate (Mt Eden); Bruce McLaren Intermediate (Henderson); and Te Atatū Intermediate.
NZ Sculpture OnShore is grateful for the support of principal sponsor Fisher Funds and gold sponsors Hesketh Henry and Harcourts Cooper & Co.
