What we do...

Toi Māori Aotearoa: Maori Arts New Zealand exists to promote the vital, potent art and culture of a thriving contemporary people called Māori.

Toi Maori Aotearoa | Maori Arts New Zealand is an artist's organisation and is committed to promote the best of Maori arts and artists. 

Toi Māori Aotearoa: Māori Arts New Zealand is a Charitable Trust and an umbrella organisation that supports the development of contemporary Maori arts. It receives annual operational funding from Creative New Zealand and has permanent staff members based at 29 Tory Street, Wellington.

Toi Māori was established in 1995. There are approximately six full time staff members with at least 120 volunteer members.

We aspire to be the organisation of first choice for all matters relating to contemporary Maori art, and are seeking to mobilise, develop and support our artists to reconnect with our communities and make Maori art and culture central to New Zealand's identity.

Toi Māori Aotearoa has organised and been involved in a number events around New Zealand and internationally that have promoted Māori arts – both in developing it and presenting it to audiences both in New Zealand and abroad. We strive to nurture and present the best of Māori art and culture to audiences everywhere.

Toi Maori's latest achievements:

• Te Tihi - Indigenous Visual artists gathering in Rotorua 2010.
• Weaver's IWI Symposium, Rotorua 2010.
• Toi Maori Aotearoa and the Volkenkunde Museum in Leiden, Holland began a 100 year relationship with the handover of the waka taua, Te Hono ki Aotearoa, to the Museum in 2010. 
• Confederated Tribes of the Grande Ronde (USA) and Njord Royal Rowing Club (Holland) exchange to Waitangi.
• Annual Gathering of the waka pageant in Waitangi, February 2011. 
• PAO PAO PAO 2010 held at Pipitea Marae, Wellington.

Toi Maori Aotearoa represents ten National Art Form Committees:

• Runanga Whakairo (Carving)
• Te Uhi A Mataora (Ta Moko - Maori Cultural Tattoo)
• He Awhi Tikanga (Protocol within the Arts)
• Puatatangi (Contemporary Maori Music)
• Te Ha (Contemporary Maori Writers)
• Te Ope o Rehua (Contemporary Performing Arts)
• Te Roopu Raranga Whatu o Aotearoa (Maori Weavers of New Zealand)
• Nga Waka Federation (Traditional Canoe Skills)
• Te Atinga (Contemporary Visual Arts)
• Nga Pou Kaituhi Maori (Literature in Te Reo)