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: Ka tipu tahi taatou - Together We Grow

You can ask questions like:

What can I share through my artwork to encourage others to care for te taiao?

How do my adults show care for te taiao?

How do I like spending time with friends in te taiao?

Ka tipu tahi taatou – Together We Grow is about caring for te taiao through connecting with our community. It feels good to work together with other people and its more fun too! Many hands make light work.

We invite you to make an art piece that shows how working with others can be good for taiao, people, and our future together.

Art has the power to spark ideas, start koorero, and inspire action. Your artwork could draw on real-life stories from your school or local area that shows how we can work towards a more sustainable future.

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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.”