Something real is happening in Katikati this weekend, and if you're anywhere near Moore Park, you should go see it for yourself.
Starting tomorrow — Friday 19 June — local artist Kalib Wallace kicks off a four-day street art activation at Katikati Skatepark, working alongside 30 to 50 young people each day to bring a bold new mural to life. The painting runs through to Monday 22 June, and the finished work gets its official reveal on Sunday 28 June — a full community celebration with professional skate and BMX demos, music, food, and the kind of energy you only get when a town turns up for its own.
Art Made by the People Who Use the Space
What makes this project stand out is how it started. Not with a council brief or a corporate commission — with young people sitting at the skatepark and being asked what they wanted to see. The design reflects exactly that: a street art style with a graffiti feel, the Kaimai Ranges woven through it, local references and characters pulled from real kōrero with the community.
Peri St John-Ives, Arts Coordinator and Gallery Manager for Katikati Open Air Art, put it plainly: "So much public art is created from an adult perspective, so we wanted to acknowledge art from a youth point of view and knew the idea had to come from them. When young people are part of the process, they feel proud of it, connect with it and truly own it."
Kalib also worked alongside mana whenua and hapū throughout the design process, making sure the piece carries the right stories and connections — not just a vibe, but a genuine reflection of place and people.
Kalib Wallace: Born and Raised, Putting in the Work
If you know the Bay of Plenty scene, you know Kalib. Born and raised in Tauranga, he's been building a body of work rooted in this community for years — spray paint, murals, illustration, all of it. Projects like this one are why he matters. It's not just technical skill (though there's plenty of that), it's the fact that he shows up, works with rangatahi, takes the tikanga seriously, and delivers something the community can actually be proud of long-term.
Katikati College art students are also involved, incorporating the project into their curriculum. Somewhere between 30 and 50 young people are expected to help paint each day. That's not a footnote — that's the whole point.
Get Down There
The painting days are free and open to the public. If you want to watch the work happen in real time — from blank concrete to finished wall — head to Katikati Skatepark at Moore Park any time between 9am and 5pm, Friday through Monday.
The big reveal on Sunday 28 June from 10am is the one to bring the family to. Pro skate and BMX demos, coaching sessions, food, music, giveaways — and the finished artwork surrounded by the young people who helped make it happen.
We'll be watching how this one lands. Kalib's been doing the mahi, and it looks like Katikati is going to have something special on its hands. If you're at the park any of the painting days, drop us a message or tag us — we'd love to see it come together.
Source: Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, June 10, 2026