If there was a week you wish you were in Raglan, it will be this one! The Raglan Arts Weekend (RAW), the town’s much-loved annual event celebrating local creative talent, kicks off on Thursday with a busy programme running right through to the end of Labour Day on Monday.
At its core is the open studio art trail, a bit like a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ through Whaingaroa, discovering over 65 of Raglan’s top artists and getting a sneak peek into varying creative processes and artistic spaces. Make sure you visit The Hatch, RAW’s emerging artist exhibition in the Town Hall, to be inspired by the next wave of rising stars.
Grab a Raglan Arts Guide or visit the RAW website to get a map, as well as a heads up on workshops, installations and even music gigs, with a collab with Raglan’s First Country and Blues Music Festival this year. If you’re a bit stuck as to where to go, start at the Old School where RAW’s Preview Exhibition and gallery staff will help you decide on a route to view your faves.
RAW launches this Thursday with an opening Cocktail Night at Iso, allowing visitors to meet our RAW stars and start the festival in style. RAW artists will be getting their own sneaky preview on Thursday too, with a dedicated RAW bus tour to a selection of studios, enabling them to connect with other artists and share best practice.
RAW is a Creative Raglan event, brought to you by the Raglan Community Arts Council. The organisers want to thank its main partners Rangitahi Peninsula, Bayleys Real Estate in Raglan, The Chartwell Trust, plus Tony Sly, and the amazing local sponsors, as well as the Waikato District Creative Communities and Raglan Community Board for making this event possible.
www.raglanartsweekend.nz
Raglan Arts Guides available at the Old School, iHub or at local shops and restaurants
