Play Exhibition Returns With Pyjama Party

Invercargill's most-visited gallery exhibition is back — and this time it's asking you to show up in your pyjamas.

Play, now in its fifth year, opens at the transitional public art gallery on Friday July 3 with a free family night running from 5pm to 7pm. Balloon animals, face-painting, the works. It is, by any measure, the least intimidating way to walk into an art gallery that exists.

The numbers back up why the gallery keeps doing this. The 2025 run of Play drew 6033 visitors — up from 4428 in 2024 and 4613 in 2023. No other exhibition comes close.

Gallery manager Sarah Brown said the annual response made the point better than any policy document could.

"He Waka Tuia is really proud of its continual efforts to engage with a wide, diverse range of people in our community. Traditionally, many people have a preconception that galleries or arts spaces are not welcoming, or not reflective of them. We always strive to challenge that belief – and the incredible response we get, year-after-year, from visitors to Play demonstrates how deeply the exhibition resonates with our community," Brown said.

While Play centres on younger visitors, it is built for everyone. Brown is clear on that.

"Art is created so that it can be enjoyed by, and reflected on, by everybody. Play gives us an opportunity to welcome everybody to He Waka Tuia, and celebrate art in all of its glory alongside our whole community – no matter their age," she said.

The goal beyond the opening night is straightforward: get someone through the door once, and the rest follows.

"Getting people through the doors for the first time is the hard part: if we can pique people's interest to visit us once, our hope is that increases their awareness of the countless other exhibitions – featuring a broad range of artists, mediums, and themes – that might attract them here again," Brown said.

This year's featured contemporary artist is Auckland-based Sara Hughes, whose installation work has previously shown in both Dunedin and Auckland. The exhibition is divided into themed zones, including one called 'Weave Your Wish' — tied to Matariki and the star Hiwa-i-te-Rangi — where visitors can weave wishes for the future on a large loom.

Play runs until August 16. The opening night is free.