Toi Ora Live Art Trust

Toi Ora Live Art Trust is a creative space in central Auckland, New Zealand that offers free, inclusive arts programmes for people with mental health and/or addiction challenges. Toi Ora provides a welcoming and supportive environment where individuals are recognised and celebrated as artists. Its creative art classes offer enriching opportunities to explore various art forms, while artistic engagement serves as a powerful medium for enhancing wellbeing.

Toi Ora logo

Operating from a purpose-designed studio and gallery space in Grey Lynn, Toi Ora runs over 20 weekly classes in visual arts, creative writing, music, performance, movement and flow. All classes are taught by experienced artists, many successful in their own right.

• Founded: 1995
• Location: Grey Lynn, Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand
• Focus: Creative wellbeing, mental health, inclusive arts access
• Website: toiora.org.nz

Purpose & Philosophy

Toi Ora works from a strengths-based, person-centred approach that places the artists needs at the heart of its mahi. It recognises that creativity, connection, and self-expression play a vital role in recovery and wellbeing^[1]. By providing access to high-quality arts opportunities in a supportive environment, Toi Ora reduces isolation, strengthens identity, and builds community.

Toi Ora is led by a governance board that includes people with lived experience of mental health challenges, and actively includes participants’ voices through regular hui, feedback loops, and co-designed projects.

History

In 1995, Toi Ora was started in a small factory space above a spectacles shop in Mount Eden by people with a lived experience of mental health challenges. By 2009, Toi Ora moved to its current Grey Lynn location, realising a long-held dream of adding gallery space to the offerings^[2].

With more space and funding for resources, Toi Ora has been able to provide an increasingly diverse programme of classes covering the arts spectrum. Each year, new courses are introduced to inspire and support artists.

Programmes  

Toi Ora offers four terms of programming each year, with courses that range from beginner-level to advanced practice. Classes include:

• Painting and drawing
• Mosaics and sculpture
• Printmaking and mixed media
• Creative writing and poetry
• Theatre, acting, and movement
• Movement
• Music, songwriting, and sound production
• Māori creative practices through the Toi Hono programme

Open Studio time is also available throughout the week for independent work and peer support. The organisation regularly holds exhibitions and showcases in its onsite gallery and in partner venues across Tāmaki Makaurau.

Impact

Independent evaluations have demonstrated the impact Toi Ora has on mental health and wellbeing. Artists report improved confidence, reduced anxiety, increased happiness, and a stronger sense of belonging and purpose. For many, Toi Ora is a lifeline—a consistent, supportive space where they can reconnect with themselves and others through creativity.

A 2023 evaluation by QWB Lab found a 48% decrease in anxiety and a 52% increase in happiness among participants after attending classes, with positive effects that extended for several days^[3].

The value of Toi Ora’s mahi has also been recognised through awards, including the Arts Access Creative Space Award, and its work has been profiled nationally and internationally as a model of best practice in arts-for-wellbeing.

Funding

Toi Ora is funded through a mix of government support, philanthropic grants, community donations, fundraising events, and art sales. The organisation receives core funding from Health NZ/Te Whatu Ora and supplements this with project-based grants and partnerships.

See also

• Art therapy