Toi Ataata,
Expand your mind and find your place in the art world with some of New Zealand’s finest artists.
From Dance Dance Astronesian. Emiko Sheehan. BFA(Hons).
Sarah Willis Recreational Gardening
Experience learning through an integrated Pōwhiri framework, which incorporates Māori perspectives and guides you through four years of supportive learning.
Explore a range of contemporary art mediums and practices in shared studio classes while being immersed in a diverse environment.
Discover how to produce work that makes people think and feel, act and react.
Be an inventive, dedicated thinker and maker.
What can I study?
Art
Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours
Contribute to the wider understanding of the world through art.
Be the commentator, the activist, the narrator or the storyteller across a range of mediums to transform perceptions, express a point of view or make a political comment.
Work in an interdisciplinary studio environment, surrounded by other students working in all types of media.
Develop your own unique art practice, voice and confidence as an artist.
![[The Strong, Silent Type]. Kauri Hawkins. BFA(Hons).](/media/2413/fine-arts-2016-k-hawkins.jpg?width=920&v=1db039a28538250 "The Strong, Silent Type, Kauri Hawkins")
[The Strong, Silent Type]. Kauri Hawkins. BFA(Hons).
Isabella Loudon
BFA (Hons)
Graduated 2016
Isabella came to an art career after previously studying veterinary science and design. She explored a variety of materials and methods, and describes her practice as sculptural although it incorporates video, drawing and writing too.
Isabella has exhibited at Toi Poneke, The Robert Heald Gallery, the Blue Oyster, Adam Art Gallery and The Auckland Art Fair.
[// 2,4,3,3,1,1,2,1,4,3,2,3,1 //]. Matt Morwood. BFA(Hons).
[as herself / waiting for love], installation view. Isabella Loudon. BFA(Hons).
What degree?
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Contribute to the wider understanding of the world through art.
Ideal if
- You have a number of art interests and want to explore what fit is right for you or you have a singular art interest and want to develop your specialised skill.
- You are a school leaver or you’re starting a new career path.
- You want a full immersive experience in art.
Key information
- Duration
- Four years full-time study.
- Entry
Selected entry—you'll need to show us a portfolio of your creative work, unless you have excellent secondary school results.
- Location
- Wellington.
- Intakes
- February or July.
- Application
- Due 30 November (February start) or 28 June (July start). Late applications are accepted until 15 February for February start..
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Conduct purposeful, advanced, transdisciplinary art or design research that connects with people well beyond the university.
Ideal if
- You already have an Honours degree and want to undertake an in-depth art or design research project.
- Or, you already have a Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts or Design.
- You want to grow your specialisation and need time to focus in a particular area.
- You want peer support, mentoring and collaboration in order to enhance your expertise from a cohort of students with a variety of backgrounds and transdisciplinary practices.
- You want your own dedicated studio space.
This programme includes four intensive one-week blocks per year.
Key information
- Duration
- Two years full-time study or three to four years part time.
- Entry
Selected entry—you'll need to submit a portfolio of your creative work, and attend an interview.
- Location
- Wellington or by distance.
- Study options
When you complete your MFA, you can choose to have it awarded with or without designation: MFA (Fine Arts), or MFA (Design), or MFA.
- Intakes
- February.
- Application
- Due 30 November (February start)
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Become the absolute top in your field by pursuing rigorous research, and pushing and challenging current knowledge. Contribute significantly to the understanding of a field of interest.
Ideal if
- You want to produce a sustained piece of advanced research work in a creative arts discipline. This could be a written thesis, or one comprised of creative practice research and a written component.
- You have completed a postgraduate Bachelor (Honours) degree with first class or second class (division 1) honours, or a Master degree with first class or second class (division 1) honours in a relevant field. This qualification must also include a substantive (minimum 30 credits) research project, dissertation or thesis in which you have achieved a minimum grade of B+.
Key information
- Duration
- Three to four years full time or six years part time.
- Location
- Auckland, Wellington, Manawatū, or by distance within New Zealand.
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Ideal if
- You want a taster of all of the design subjects available.
- You want to be introduced to the basics of art and design (creative thinking, visual communication and critical awareness).
- You want a flexible programme with lots of choice, that can lead into the Bachelor of Design with Honours or Bachelor of Fine Arts with Honours.
Key information
- Duration
- One year full-time or part-time over a longer period.
- Entry
Open entry—just apply online.
- Location
- Wellington.
- Intakes
- February.
- Application
- Due 13 January (February start).
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Ideal if
- You already have a Bachelors degree in a non-design discipline, and you want to change direction.
Key information
- Duration
- One year full time, or part-time over a longer period.
- Entry
Selected entry—you'll need to submit a portfolio of your creative work. Find out more about entry.
- Location
- Wellington.
- Intakes
- February.
- Application
- Due 15 November (February start).
Professor Huhana Smith
Head of School of Art, Whiti o Rehua
Professor
Huhana Smith is an active practitioner, researcher and academic. She is an artist, curator and principal investigator in research that engages with major environmental, transdisciplinary, kaupapa Māori and action-led projects.
She is currently a joint principal investigator for an environmental research project in Horowhenua-Kāpiti, using mātauranga Māori methods alongside science, to address climate change concerns. Huhana combines the visual systems of art and design in exhibitions that illustrate potential solutions to complex issues, and make them accessible to local Māori communities.
In 2016, she was appointed as the first woman with whakapapa Māori to head an art school in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her iwi are Ngāti Tukorehe (affiliated to Raukawa ki te Tonga) and hapū are Te Mateawa, Te Rangitāwhia and Kapumanawawhiti.
Her 2007 PhD was entitled Hei whenua ora: hapū and iwi approaches for reinstating valued ecosystems within cultural landscape.
Turn your talents into a lifelong creative career.
Register your interest