Eye on Nature Creative Arts

Saturday 26 September - Sunday 11 October, 2026 | Auckland Botanic Gardens

Teaching tamariki to love the environment through art!

Eye on Nature Creative Arts is the Beautification Trust's annual art competition for South and East Auckland kindergarten and primary school students.

Students are challenged to create art around the Eye on Nature theme, making use of sustainable materials and re-purposed waste.

The judges assess the artworks based on their interpretation of the theme, use of materials, the artist’s statement about their work, originality, innovation, construction and effort. The winning schools and kindergartens are awarded cash prizes and art supply vouchers, with a total prize pool worth $2,550!

All entries will be displayed in the professional exhibition space at the Auckland Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre during the October school holidays.

Theme

This Year's Theme: Grow Together

For your Creative Arts creation, think about these three questions:

How can I support my community to look after the environment?

Why is working with my community important for looking after nature?

What are the ways my community can take action for nature?

Our Eye on Nature theme for 2026 is ‘Grow Together’. It’s about how we can help nature by working as a team! When we connect with our local community, we can make an even bigger difference for the environment. In a world where it can be easy to feel separate or on our own, working together to look after the environment has never been more important.

By sharing ideas, helping each other, and taking action as a group, we can protect the places we love and create a healthier future for everyone.

We are part of nature. Just like the forests, rivers and oceans need balance to stay strong, our own wellbeing also needs balance. We can use tools like Te Whare Tapa Whaa to help us understand this.

You might be inspired by things like planting trees, looking after wildlife, going for bush walks, composting, picking up rubbish, caring for the soil, using active transport, or simply spending quiet time in nature.

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Clean Sweep for South Auckland Middle School at Eye on Nature Creative Arts 2025

Our annual Eye on Nature Creative Arts competition invited tamariki to produce original pieces inspired by the 2025 theme: ‘Wellbeing – Te Taiao and Me’. South and East Auckland tamariki are showcasing their inspiring creations at the Auckland Botanic Gardens during these school holidays. The Prizegiving ceremony was held on Saturday 20 September, celebrating the creativity and hard work of the tamariki who entered the competition. At Eye On Nature Creative Arts, everyone is

Beautification Trust

At Eye on Nature Creative Arts, everyone is a winner. Some pieces truly stood out for their originality and impact. As the judges said, “we were blown away by the high standard of entries this year.”