Events Calendar

Past and Present

Hullabaloo Art Space is celebrating 10 years of success with a group exhibition “Past and Present” running from August 29 to September 17 in the Hullabaloo gallery at the Cromwell Heritage Precinct. Past members of Hullabaloo have been invited to join in this special exhibition to acknowledge their part in the achievements and journey of the gallery.  You can view the “Past and Present” exhibition catalogue here.

Hullabaloo Art Space is one of those rarities, a gallery managed and run by artists. Collectives or artists run spaces are often set up to explore ideas, provide workspaces or simply sell art. Hullabaloo’s difference lies in the fact that members staff, curate and hang the galleries exhibitions, design and produce all the advertising and in all of that make the work that is hung in the gallery. Hullabaloo may well be the only collective of this type in the South Island.

Hullabaloo began 10 years ago with 10 members in what is now Objects of Art at the Cromwell Heritage Precinct. The gallery was started by Odelle Morshius who had been involved in collectives in the U.K.  Initially Hullabaloo was run as her own gallery. However, Odelle invited other local artists in the region to join Hullabaloo, modelling the collective on her experience in the UK.

Now the gallery resides in the larger building of Scotts Bakery. Over the past 10 years 30 artists have been members of Hullabaloo for varying lengths of time. Three of those initial members; Jillian Porteous, Nigel Wilson and Rachel Hirabayashi have been with Hullabaloo for ten years. Some have left and returned and now the collective is operating with the maximum number of 15 artists. All the current members reside in Central Otago and the Lakes District. 

Hullabaloo provides an opportunity for its artists to exhibit, experiment and develop work in a supportive environment. With a monthly changing exhibition schedule it also provides the challenge and encouragement to make new work on a regular basis.

Hullabaloo is a highly organised and continually evolving collective.  “We operate with a number of subgroups covering all the activities that a working gallery needs –  day to day running, marketing and hanging the exhibitions, ‘said Megan Huffadine.

The gallery is kept fresh by hanging new exhibitions every month, rotating solo shows by members and special group shows that involve all members.  Visitors can call by regularly and always find something new to look at. “Collectives are only as good as the people in them” said Odelle Morshius.

The collective utilises the skills that members bring – eg: graphic design, web design, photography, business and marketing experience.

Hullabaloo members work across a variety of media and disciplines: printmaking, painting, photography, ceramics, jewellery, sculpture. They also exhibit with galleries beyond Central Otago including Dunedin, Christchurch and Auckland. Members work has been selected for major competitions and collects accolades and awards. National and local awards won include; Gold Art Awards, Aspiring art award, Wearable Arts, Invercargill Licencing Trust Awards, Waitakere Sculpture Award as well as being finalists in a number of competitions. This attests to the fact that the work in Hullabaloo is of a high standard and current with practice throughout New Zealand.

Hullabaloo is unique in Otago and Southland for its longevity and ability to thrive and grow in a small community. Hullabaloo provides the region with an opportunity to see and purchase local artists work as well as talk to them when they are on duty at the gallery. Tourists and visitors, both national and international are surprised and delighted when they visit the art space and view the work on show.

Location

Hullabaloo Art Space

15 Melmore Terrace , Old Cromwell Historic Precinct