Play 4.0 draws record visitor numbers to He Waka Tuia

An exhibit that celebrates the creativity of play and imagination has wrapped up at He Waka Tuia, after drawing record crowds through the Invercargill gallery’s doors.

He Waka Tuia Manager Sarah Brown said the fourth instalment of the annual Play exhibit, which wrapped up on 17 August, had attracted thousands of people since it opened on 28 June.

This year’s exhibit included collaborations with creative studio Paku – including large-scale versions of its popular Pū Rākau blocks, each of which depicted atua and brought them to life using augmented reality – and artist Jenny Zhong, as well as a selection of works from the Invercargill Public Art Gallery (IPAG) collection and artefacts from Te Kupeka Tiaki Taoka Trust.

A grand total of 6325 people had visited He Waka Tuia since Play 4.0 opened on 28 June. That was almost 2000 more than the 4337 who visited during both Play 3.0 and Play 2.0, and 3307 during the first iteration of the event in 2022, Brown said.

“We’re absolutely delighted that Play has been so well-supported by the community, and has drawn visitors who might not necessarily engage with arts spaces throughout Invercargill and the wider Southland region on a regular basis,” she said.

“The aspiration for Play is to continue to break down barriers and increase accessibility to spaces that celebrate the arts, while at the same time encouraging visitors to reflect on how they can incorporate glimmers of creativity into their daily lives. Visitors regularly commented on the accessibility of the exhibit, and our team also noticed a higher proportion of repeat visitors and longer stays, which was fantastic,” she said.

The gallery’s collaborations with creative studio Paku and artist Jenny Zhong had been integral to this year’s success, Brown said.

“Having artists of their calibre really elevated the entire experience, and the level of engagement their work offered the community was something really special. People particularly loved the hands-on interaction – being able to physically touch an artwork within a gallery context was a rare and exciting novelty, especially for little ones,” she said.

“It’s such a fun exhibit to put on for the community, and we have really relished seeing the magic it has sparked within our visitors.”

He Waka Tuia Senior Curator: Exhibitions Gemma McDonald said the fourth rendition of Play had featured nine distinct zones, with each zone featuring an engaging take on blending art and creativity together with interactive opportunities to ignite play.

The ‘Bloom Room’ had proven to be one of the most popular zones, with its success largely due to the take-home nature of the activity, she said.

“Creation Signs produced durable flowers that could be kept as keepsakes, or given as gifts to loved ones. Both children and adults alike really enjoyed this, and the overall aesthetic of the space added to its appeal – it was a really beautiful and memorable experience for our visitors to share alongside one another,” she said.

The team at He Waka Tuia was thrilled the exhibit had resonated so deeply with people, she said.

“We hope Play helps to instil a lifelong love of the arts in some of Invercargill’s youngest residents, while at the same time reminds our adult community that embracing and unleashing our imaginations is something you’re never too old to do,” she said.

“We’re so pleased our community had such a joyous time experiencing Play this time around. We’re already turning our attention to planning for Play 5.0 and we’re acutely aware of the challenge ahead – this year has definitely set a very high bar.”