Outdoor Art Celebration

The cream of New Zealand’s street artists will be descending on K’ Road from

Friday 3 – Sun 5 May to take part in the precinct’s inaugural All Fresco street art festival.  In a live demonstration, nine blank walls in the precinct will be transformed by nine art crews hand-picked by festival organiser Ross Liew.

Fresh from organising Taupo’s Graffiato festival, Ross, a founding member of Cut Collective and the talent behind the TrustMe moniker, has paired some of New Zealand’s best known local and expat artists with walls he believes will best suit their talents. 

Art styles will range from resident Wellington duo BMD’s large format works to expat Melbourne and Berlin-based HaHa’s detailed stencil cuts and are aimed to provide a spectator friendly attraction over a three-day period from 11am – 7pm.   Festival sponsors, the K’ Road Business Association, also plan to develop a street art walk based on the finished collection of works.

For a taster of participating artists’ creative styles, viewers are invited to attend a group exhibition at Upper Queen St’s Method and Manners Gallery from 6-9pm on Thursday

2 May which will run as part of K’Road’s regular late night art event First Thursdays.  For a list of All Fresco’s locations and festival map, visit www.allfresco.co.nz

NZ Made & Vintage

An aim of specialising in product which is quirky, different and a little bit of fun, makes newcomer to K’ Road, The Bread and Butter Letter, a vintage, craft and tea store, an ideal fit with the street’s character.

Owners Rose Howcroft and Sarah Firmston relocated their two-year-old business to K’ Road in March in the hope of bringing a taste of the anticipation and excitement of a weekend craft market to customers  - all week long.  Hand made New Zealand craft ranging from kiwiana-themed tea towels to crocheted cushions supplied by makers across a spectrum encompassing young designers to grandmothers, festoon the shelves of their newly-renovated premises at 225 K’ Road.    Add to this a selection of vintage and upcycle clothing and accessories and a certified organic range of locally blended teas boasting flavours such as Classic Black, Fresh Mint and Lemonish and the menu of ‘nana-ish’ offerings refashioned to meet current street-cred requirements is complete.

Providing  a platform for secret crafters  who are “not loud about what they make, but are inspiring and forward thinking in their work” is the philosophy behind The Bread and Butter Letter, ‘ says Rose.