Waitakere Arts - Community Arts Centre

My involvement with Waitakere Arts is responsible for keeping my art practice going. The open studio session I attend is the one time of the week where I can guarantee I'll actually get paint on my brushes, there are no unwelcome distractions, and I'll get to meet up with like minded others. There's lots more - workshops, exhibitions, opportunities, friendships, encouragement, .............

Best art center in West Auckland. I held my art classes in Waitakere Arts and is always a pleasure. An affordable place with everything you need to do a proper art class (easels, plinth, proper lighting, kitchen, heatpump, etc). The administration is amazing, very responsive and fast. I am so grateful that we can have and use this spaces not only for work, also for sharing with the community and gathering around art and creativity.

They provide a community space at an affordable price for so many people who do art. They are friendly and supportive and provide a great community service. Very important as almost no-community group largely run by volunteers or for themselves can afford to rent commercial premises. The many people who are retired or cannot find full-time employment need to have something of interest to occupy them, have a connection with other people, and provide mentoring to others. This is a very valuable community infrastructure that a society like NZ needs with so many financial and other stresses placed on society.

Disgraceful to hear our mayor is planning to cut funding to the arts.This is a great venue with not only art activities but also providing many other unofficial and maybe not so obvious functions, such as aiding in mental health improvement and growing social connections. As many other visual art and performing art venues and activities do.If anything, the arts need more funding, not less.

Easy to access but away from road noise. Friendly and helpful members and staff. Clean and comfortable with plenty of room and light. Plenty of choices for classes.

A great local facility meeting the needs of a wide range of people. Professionally operated, this community focused resource is a real treasure. People come from far and wide to learn, share and socialise in a supportive, caring environment.

I have been an exhibiting artist at the Waitakere Arts Centre for a few years now. Apart from the friendly people that I meet, this is a great way to see what is happening in art and show my own work.

My best decision of 2022 was to join a weekly painting group at Waitakere Arts! What an awesome facility and community resource!

So stoked to have found this arts centre and meet the local creatives. Was amazed to learn that it was supported by the local council as well as by local businesses and trusts. One can tell a lot about a society that supports creative expression through the arts. It shows a commitment to its people's well-being. Looking forward to more activities in 2023!

Waitakere Arts Community Arts Centre is a wonderful and essential place for the West Auckland (and wider) artists community. I belong to the Ten Last Strokes artists collective, and up to 10 of us get together to paint in the arts centre studio every Wednesday morning. When we first approached the centre about hiring studio space we were overwhelmed by how welcoming, friendly and accommodating the administrator was. We feel at home there, and feel that it is extremely important for such organisations to continue to receive necessary funding. A number of our members are single, retired women who could easily become isolated if it weren't for such gathering places. Thank you, Waitakere Arts Centre, for everything you do for the arts community. We'd be lost without you!