The Incubator Creative Hub

The Incubator Creative Hub The Incubator Creative Hub is the collision between arts and the people.

Incubator – A device used to grow culture

The Incubator Creative Hub is the collision between arts and the people. A vibrant and diverse destination where audience, creatives, community arts groups meet to practice, celebrate, showcase and experience art and culture. The Incubator weaves the arts into the fabric of our city by generating opportunities for participation, knowledge and education while demonstrating the importance of arts practice in everyday life. We are a tangible example of the positive power that artists and art organisations can contribute to community connectedness, human well-being and belonging. We deliver an exhaustive program of events to empower artists and community to engage in cultural projects and activities. We champion the arts on and behalf of our arts community Telling OUR stories through art

🚨 MEET FRED AND MYRTLE! 🚨 We have two new residents at The Incubator Gallery, and they are as large as life—literally!To...
06/10/2026

🚨 MEET FRED AND MYRTLE! 🚨 We have two new residents at The Incubator Gallery, and they are as large as life—literally!

Today was one of those magical days that could only happen here. Please welcome Fred and Myrtle! 🎨👋

These two full-size, anthropomorphic figures have quite the history. They were made in Litchfield and previously hung out at the Villa Ridge garden centre & cafe 20 years ago. Now, they've found their forever home with us—and honestly, it feels like they should have always been here.

A massive thank you to Barbara and Athol for bringing them in. They fit into the place perfectly—it honestly looks like they've been here for years!

We'd love for you to come and meet them. They are officially part of the furniture now, but please remember the golden rule: Look, but don't touch! 👀🚫✋

It's Week Two of The Incubator Creative Hub's School Holiday Programme, and we have two more events to wrap up your holi...
06/10/2026

It's Week Two of The Incubator Creative Hub's School Holiday Programme, and we have two more events to wrap up your holiday - one for the artists and one for the dancers!

A Little Foxy🦊
With Claire Delaney McLeary -Illustrator
Thursday 8 October
10am - 12pm
The Creative Campus
$45

Kids Dance Party💃
With Alice Sea - Music and DJ Tāizac!
Friday 9 October
10 - 10.45am
The Jam Factory Tauranga
$15

Grab your tickets here 👇
🔗 www.theincubator.co.nz/school-holidays

See you there!

06/10/2026

Is this your new ceramics studio? 🏺✨

Our fabulous long-term resident artist, Sandy Kerr, is relocating to Okorore studios (still part of The Incubator whānau!), which means we have a rare opening in our creative whare!

Situated inside the iconic The Pot House, this studio space is more than just a room—it's an opportunity. We are looking for a ceramicist or pottery artist to join our vibrant ecosystem.

What the space offers:
🔥 A dedicated area for your own practice
🤝 A supportive environment of fellow resident artists
🛍️ Retail space to sell your artworks
🏺 Proximity to a kiln (essential!)

If you are ready to be part of a community that values creativity and collaboration, we want to hear from you.

👉 Visit www.theincubator.co.nz/studio-applications to see if you're the right fit for our kaupapa.

🎨 NEW INSTALLATION ALERT: Colin Bell returns to Market & Main!We are thrilled to announce the latest installation in our...
01/10/2026

🎨 NEW INSTALLATION ALERT: Colin Bell returns to Market & Main!

We are thrilled to announce the latest installation in our partnership with Market and Main Cafe! Following the huge success and popularity of his first installation, we are excited to welcome Colin Bell (Kiramekisan) back for round two.

Colin is a Tauranga-based artist who began his painting journey while living in Tokyo. His artist name, Kiramekisan, is a nod to "Mr. Sparkle" (a deep cut for fans of The Simpsons!) and reflects his creative roots.

Colin’s work isn't just limited to canvas—he’s painted bike frames and even had a carbon fibre canvas racing at the BMX World Championships in Copenhagen! We are proud to support his journey, including his first road mural—the giant hibiscus you can see just outside the cafe as part of the "Tauranga Runway" public art project.

Come down to Market & Main to view Colin’s stunning new work, soak in the local art scene, and grab one of the best coffees in town. ☕️🖼️

📍 Where: Market and Main Cafe
Artist: Colin Bell (Kiramekisan)

🚧 CALLING ALL CONE ARTISTS! 🚧Tauranga. We need to talk about the cones!They’re everywhere. We’ve stared at them long eno...
29/09/2026

🚧 CALLING ALL CONE ARTISTS! 🚧

Tauranga. We need to talk about the cones!

They’re everywhere. We’ve stared at them long enough. So for Tauranga Fringe Festival 2026, we’re turning an army of our city’s most notorious street furniture into ART.

Welcome to the CONE-STRUCTION ZONE.
Your mission is simple: create a removable artwork that can slip over a standard road cone. Crochet it, collage it, wrap it, weave it, upcycle it, turn it into a frog, cover it in flowers or make something completely bonkers.

♻️ Upcycled junk? YES.
🧶 Textiles? YES.
🎨 Kids’ creations? YES.
🤪 Weird ideas? ABSOLUTELY.
All ages. All abilities. No need to be an artist.

We supply the cones on the day - you make the cover.
Then on Saturday 24 October, all the creations will come together at The Historic Village as one glorious CONE-STRUCTION ZONE installation for Tauranga Fringe Festival - One Day Arts Festival.
www.theincubator.co.nz/tauranga-fringe-fest-2026

📍 Submit here CONESTRUCTION ZONE - https://tinyurl.com/49m2bnec

🚧 Drop your cone cover to The Incubator Creative Hub
📅 By Saturday 17 October
🌦️ Outdoor-friendly creations are best

Schools, families, artists, makers, crafty people and people who just really have something to say about Tauranga’s road cones - this one’s for you.
🚧 JOIN THE CONE ARMY. 🚧

29/09/2026

🎨✨ So much happening at The Incubator over the next few weeks!

From brand-new exhibitions to school holiday activities and workshops, plus heaps of movies and music — there's truly something for everyone at our creative village. 🎬🎶🖌️

Check out the video for a sneak peek of what's coming up, then head to www.theincubator.co.nz/whats-on to see it all for yourself! 👀

See you soon! 💛

Welcome Home, Ally! 🏡🎨We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ally Drury back to her creative home! After four incredible ...
28/09/2026

Welcome Home, Ally! 🏡🎨

We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Ally Drury back to her creative home! After four incredible years living in Berlin and immersing herself in European arts communities, Ally has returned to us as a Resident Artist—marking her 3rd residency with us over the past 12 years.

Ally is literally part of the colour of this place. Her vibrant work has become woven into the fabric of our city, and you’ve likely walked past her art without even knowing it!

Her touch is everywhere across the Historic Village and Tauranga (her last trip home saw her adding a giant eye to our Creative Community Campus - see photos)

We are so happy to have your energy and talent back in the room. Welcome home, Ally! ✨

⏰ Time is no longer a secret. It’s the art.The Incubator is thrilled to announce that TIME & MOTION, the incredible new ...
25/09/2026

⏰ Time is no longer a secret. It’s the art.

The Incubator is thrilled to announce that TIME & MOTION, the incredible new exhibition by Tauranga kinetic artist Ian Howell, is officially OPEN!

All clocks move—but these clocks are designed to be mesmerising. Time stands still as you find yourself captured, anticipating what will happen next. The movement is clever, often unexpected and . . . well, works of art! This exhibition is fascinating.

If you’ve ever wondered what makes a clock tick—or wanted to see those internal mechanics turned into something beautiful—you need to see this. Ian strips away the clock casing to explore "visible thinking," combining mechanical engineering with layered plywood, bamboo, polished metals, and LED technology.

🖼️ Come along this weekend!
The gallery is transformed into four immersive zones: The Nature World, The Machine World, The Radiant World, and The Performance World. It’s a stunning experience for all ages.

🗓️ Save the Date: Tuesday, 6 October
After you’ve seen the exhibition, come back on Tuesday for two special FREE workshops as part of the Young at Heart Festival!

1️⃣ Programming a LED Light Ring (11:00 am)
For children & families/grandparents.
Brainstorm a theme and watch it come to life! Ian will demonstrate how to turn your ideas into a working prototype using an AI programming agent. No bookings needed—just bring your imagination!

2️⃣ Clockwork Demonstration (2:00 pm)
For adults only.
Go behind the gears. Ian will assemble a complete clock from scratch, discussing the design process, how it works, and how the parts are constructed. A must-see for engineering and design fans.

📍 Where: The Incubator Gallery, Tauranga Historic Village (159 17th Ave)
🎟️ Cost: Free entry to the gallery & workshops!

See you at the Village! 👋

🌟 WANTED: FRINGE SUPERSTARS! 🌟Want to be part of the team that brings Tauranga FRINGE FEST to life? We're on the hunt fo...
25/09/2026

🌟 WANTED: FRINGE SUPERSTARS! 🌟

Want to be part of the team that brings Tauranga FRINGE FEST to life? We're on the hunt for amazing vollies to join the crew behind the Bay's most gloriously unhinged one-day arts festival! 🎪

What does a Fringe volunteer do? Anything and everything —
🔧 Helping out on the day: putting up gazebos, being a helping hand for activiations, selling tickets on the gate, being part of the pack-down team
🥪 Or in the lead-up: helping to sort equipment for stages, laminating signs, helping to set up exhibitions

The details:
📅 Saturday 24 October 2026, 10am–4pm (Labour Weekend)
📍 The Historic Village, 159 17th Avenue, Tauranga
🎭 Six stages of live music, Pasifika performance, fashion, poetry and everything gloriously in between

This is grassroots arts at its most alive — built by Tauranga, for Tauranga. And none of it happens without our vollie whānau. 💛

If you're keen to be part of the magic and join the vollie team bringing this amazing event together — 👇drop your details on The Incubator website (click on Fringe Fest

Come for the love of it, the good vibes, and the thrill of being part of something really special. See you at the Fringe! ✨

🎨 Kick off your weekend with bold art, live music, and good company!Step away from the week and into a space filled with...
23/09/2026

🎨 Kick off your weekend with bold art, live music, and good company!

Step away from the week and into a space filled with thought-provoking creativity. Join us at The Incubator Creative Hub for our September Art Street Party on Friday, 25 September!
September Art Street Party - 4 New Shows

We’re launching FOUR new exhibitions in one night, spanning ceramics, painting, kinetic sculpture, and a deeply moving collaborative project.

What you’ll experience:
🕰️ The Incubator Gallery: Time In Motion - The Kinetic Art of Ian Howell (20 moving sculptures!)
🧠 The People's Gallery - Toi ka rere: Artful Mind Exhibition by Dementia Tauranga annual awareness exhibition
🏺 The Pot House: Kin God Exhibition Guardian figures by local potters
🖼️ Imprint Gallery : Young At Art – A special exhibition by 97-year-old artist Doreen McNeill

With live music from fabulous local musician Alice Sea ,a licensed bar, and generous grazing platters from Gate Pa New World - it’s the perfect start to your weekend, and a great place to catch up with familiar faces or to meet new ones,

The Details:
📅 Friday, 25 Sept 2026
🕠 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
📍 The Incubator Creative Hub, Tauranga Historic Village (159 17th Avenue)

We look forward to welcoming you! ✨


Address

Tauranga

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 4:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 4:30pm
Thursday 9am - 4:30pm
Friday 9am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 3pm

Telephone

+6475713232

Website

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