What’s at stake: Māori artists have become a central commercial and cultural driver of the Aotearoa Art Fair.
Background: With a record 60 galleries and a growing sculpture trail, the 2026 fair opens as the biggest in its 21-year history.
Main players: Fair director Sue Waymouth, artists Peata Larkin, Lisa Reihana, Ron Tekawa, Reuben Paterson, Te Rongo Kirkwood, and the Kurutai Collective.
The Aotearoa Art Fair opens at Auckland's Viaduct Events Centre today with 60 galleries, more than 200 artists, and a waterfront sculpture trail that’s nearly tripled in size.
As much as the fair has grown, so has its cultural and commercial centre of gravity. Māori artists, once a standout
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Key points
What’s at stake: Māori artists have become a central commercial and cultural driver of the Aotearoa Art Fair.
Background: With a record 60 galleries and a growing sculpture trail, the 2026 fair opens as the biggest in its 21-year history.
Main players: Fair director Sue Waymouth, artists Peata Larkin, Lisa Reihana, Ron Tekawa, Reuben Paterson, Te Rongo Kirkwood, and the Kurutai Collective.
