The Incubator Creative Hub is hosting a three-week exhibition in Tauranga to raise funds to support fellow creatives in the Hawkes Bay in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle.

The Hawkes Bay Artist Fundraiser Exhibition opens 5.30pm today, March 17, at The People's Gallery in Tauranga's Historic Village, and will run to April 10.

The Incubator director Simone Anderson says one week after invitations to donate were opened, 65 artists – and counting – jumped on-board.

'The number of artists donating is staggering, well exceeding our expectations. Not only from the BOP but further afield including Rotorua, Hamilton, Auckland and even artist victims of the flood themselves from Hawkes Bay offering works to sell to collectively support others.

'The generosity is heart-warming and highlights the amazing spirit of the arts community in Aotearoa.”

John Gisborne lost his home, studio and livelihood as the floods and silt caused huge devastation through the Taradale Pottery Cub and Waiohiki Arts Centre. Photo: supplied.

The Incubator Creative Hub's annual team field trip for 2022 – aimed at exploring other

NZ arts hubs – was to Hastings. There, Simone says they met with many art advocates, arts and festival managers, and creatives from the numerous community-driven arts hubs.

'We were warmly welcomed, shown great hospitality and returned fizzing with newfound respect of the Hawkes Bay. We were totally inspired by their development of grassroots arts and impressed by the progressive impact they were making towards the vibrant transformation of their region.”

Seeing photographs of the cyclone's devastation was heart-breaking, and The Incubator team wanted to do anything they could to take a load off and show proactive support.

'In the aftermath of this crisis, an art exhibition may be far from the minds of the affected creatives and artists of Hawke's Bay, with many on the ground cleaning up but also coming to terms with the scale of loss of their stock, art materials, equipment and damage caused to infrastructure of the arts hubs and studio spaces,” says Simone.

'We saw the opportunity of an exhibition to express our support through art and give artists a platform to make a positive contribution.”

John Gisborne has been selflessly and tirelessly leading the clean-up work at Waiohiki Arts Village and Taradale Pottery Club. Photo: supplied.

Funds from artist sales will be distributed to grassroots arts communities and artists in Hawkes Bay to help with replenishing supplies and equipment 'and to help get them back on their feet to continue their creative mahi (work)”.

Exhibition submissions are from emerging, mid-career and renowned NZ artists. View the artists at the fundraiser webpage: https://www.theincubator.co.nz/hawkes-bay-fundraiser-exhibition

Simone says judging from the calibre and diversity of contributing artists, who include sculptors, ceramicists and painters, this exhibition will be one-of-a-kind opportunity for art-lovers to purchase works and contribute to fundraising to offer some relief to those facing a long road ahead to recovering their arts practices.