From bold street art to intricate miniatures, Ara’s graduate exhibition impresses

Ara’s annual graduate showcase, P!TCH, is always a highlight on the creative calendar- and the 2025 edition, which opened last night, was no exception.

Held on the ground floor of the Kahukura Building at Ara’s city campus, the exhibition features the work of emerging artists, designers, and photographers from the Bachelor of Design programme, spanning applied visual arts, photography, and visual communications. A large-scale mural installation also adorns a nearby walkway, extending the creative energy beyond the gallery walls.

Friends, whānau and supporters gathered to celebrate the achievements of Level 7 ākonga (students), whose work reflects a rich tapestry of personal and cultural narratives. The exhibition is open to the public from 8am to 5pm on weekdays (excluding Labour Day) until 30 October.

Themes explored in the exhibition are as diverse as they are compelling: from diary entries chronicling recurring childhood moepapa (nightmares), to a lovingly detailed revival of a grandmother’s passion for miniatures, to urgent environmental storytelling. The ākonga dug deep - emotionally, technically, and conceptually - to produce work that resonates.

Mark McEntyre, Portfolio Manager of Creative and Media at Ara, praised their creativity and commitment:

“When you look at these walls around you, it’s clear this has been an amazing journey for our ākonga. But it’s also a celebration of the support from friends, whānau, tutors and technicians who have guided and encouraged them every step of the way.”

McEntyre also highlighted Ara’s broader creative ecosystem: “With NASDA, the Broadcasting School (NZBS), MAINZ, music and visual arts, Ara is a true creative powerhouse. It’s a vibrant place to study the arts, and the talent we nurture for Aotearoa’s creative sector speaks volumes.”

The P!TCH space was buzzing with energy, as visitors admired the work and celebrated milestones. Among the crowd were four generations of Lydia Iosefa’s aiga (family), gathered to honour her mural- a powerful tribute to the Pasifika community in Aotearoa, told through her own lens.

Created under the advice of renowned street artist and Ara graduate Guy Ellis (Dcypher), Lydia’s mural blends her love of painting with her Samoan–Cook Island heritage. The piece, which took a week and many hands to complete, features her grandmother and father as central figures in a visual narrative of Pacific migration.

“Everyone is at different stages of their cultural journey - some confident, most learning, and many disconnected,” Lydia reflected. “This work made me realise my community is bigger than I thought. People stepped forward, stopped by, and shared stories. True Pacific values have been on display – and it touched the heart,” she said.

Celebrating Excellence

Five awards, made possible through the Noeline McIlroy Bequest Fund, were presented to students in applied visual arts and photography:

Ara Award for Applied Visual Arts: Sofia D’Aubert-Phillips — a selected piece from her portfolio will be added to Ara’s permanent collection by art curator Julie Humby.
Final Project Award: Sierra Bright

Academic Excellence in Photography: Rebecca Lowe
Ara Excellence in Final Project (Photography): Cam Robinson and Mieke Mulder

Awards for the Bachelor of Visual Communication will be announced at an industry event on 30 October. And with motion design and fashion design projects still to exhibit, there’ll be even more to celebrate in Ara’s ever-evolving creative space in the coming weeks.

Find out about Ara institute of Canterbury's Art and Design programmes here