Art as Prevention: Hikitia! Partners with NMIT Arts Students
Hikitia! was honoured to pilot the Ordinary Wonders art initiative – with a creative twist – alongside Arts and Media students from NMIT, guided by their tutor Klaas Breukel. In this pilot, each student explored their own “ordinary wonder” and transformed it into a beautiful, uplifting artwork. Their creativity and spirit of collaboration brought this exhibition to life, and we are deeply grateful. Hikitia! is RISE’s ACC funded prevention mahi (work).
The students’ creations were showcased at G-Space Gallery, NMIT campus from 31 October to 14 November, and again during the NMIT Bachelor of Arts and Media Graduate Exhibition from 21 - 28 November.
Ordinary Wonders is a collaborative initiative by Hikitia! that celebrates the quiet magic of everyday life – the moments that connect us to the people and places we hold dear. From the warmth of a messy kitchen filled with pancake-making laughter to stories of ancestral lands and whānau roots, this kaupapa invites us to reflect on what truly matters.
Beyond art, the project contributes to preventing family and sexual violence by:
· Elevating protective factors like secure attachments, cultural identity, and resilience.
· Normalising safe, caring relationships.
· Affirming identity and belonging across generations.
· Creating public spaces for reflection and dialogue.
· Promoting inclusion through diverse stories.
· Engaging artists as partners in social change.
Ordinary Wonders will continue in 2026 with a second phase. Local amateur and established artists will be invited to create artworks inspired by “ordinary wonders” stories written by members of our community. These pieces will be exhibited at Refinery ArtSpace and gifted to the storytellers whose experiences they represent.
If you’d like to be part of this next chapter, please follow the Ordinary Wonders link.
Ordinary Wonders Artwork
Artwork: Brianna (Star stories), Joseph (Family Gatherings), Amy (Mum’s coffee), Jemma (Reading together).