Call for proposals for Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens 2027 Exhibition

The Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens which opened in 2008, has been developed in conjunction with Kaipara Coast Plant Centre which has been owned and operated by David and Geraldine Bayly from the site since 1988. The main Sculpture Trail is 1km long, with a further 2.5km of native forest walks, and is a 4 star New Zealand's Gardens Trust accredited garden.

The exhibition aims to entertain and engage both the general public and the art community in an artistically challenging and visually stimulating outdoor environment.

Visitors experience the exhibition while walking a trail that winds through a diverse landscape featuring grassy slopes, ponds, wetland areas, formal gardens, native bush, an orchard, an amphitheatre, and views of the Kaipara Harbour.

Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens is only a 45-minute drive from Auckland on the scenic Kaipara Coast Highway (SH 16) route, making it readily accessible to a large public audience and potential clients.

We are accepting proposals for outdoor artworks across all art forms, with a focus on sculpture. We welcome submissions for new concepts, works in development, and existing pieces.

'The garden is a living system of soil, water, light, plants, insects, fungi, animals, and people. An artwork placed in the garden becomes part of that system. This year, we invite artists to consider ecology in their response.'

The deadline for submission is Friday, July 24, 2026.

The Kaipara Coast 2027 Exhibition runs from December 2026 to November 2027, and is a unique opportunity to display your artwork in a rural country garden setting. 

Kaipara Coast Sculpture Gardens do not take a commission when a piece sells.