Collaboration

Matamata Art Club

7 July - 2 August 2026 | Whakaaturanga Gallery

The Matamata Art Club has been in session since the 1960's.  Art styles have certainly been through many changes since then and so have we.

The Matamata Arts Club was originally formed in 1949 by the abstract painter, Jim Cotter and other painters. In 1954 artist and teacher Jim Ayers and Jim Cotter formally established the club as an art society. Monthly meetings were held at the club space in the Firth Tower Museum grounds. The focus of these meetings was to cultivate sound art practice, encouraging new and younger members and supporting established artists. 

Now the group has grown in size, and meets with regular sessions in a larger space with great lighting to work on individual projects. Regular classes, demonstrations and trips to major exhibitions expand the horizons of members young and not so young. The membership now covers diverse, multidisciplinary artists and creators who enjoy learning from a range of workshops, from traditional techniques to contemporary practice.