The ‘village’ is a work of art in it’s own right. The three main buildings are signicant historical structures. Art is exhibited in the Mabey Gallery which was the old Mabey family homestead. It was built in 1908 in the north of the island at Whangapoua Beach.

The Wiltshire House was built by the Gray family. The wreck of the Wiltshire Steamer near Rosalie Bay in 1922 provided some invaluable timber & materials used to finish the construction of their home on the edge of the Kaitoke wetlands. Work is nearing completion on transforming this lovely old homestead into the Village Museum.
The oldest building is the Tryphena School Master’s House, built in 1897. It was the original Aotea Gallery but these days it’s used for holding workshops, meetings and performances.
There’s always something happening at the village. Group exhibitions, winter workshops, kids art classes and special events ensure that their calendar is full of dates to remember.

“As a child I had many holidays on Great Barrier Island. We always stayed at Whangapoua in my grandmothers house - which is now the Mabey Gallery. I never imagined that in the future I’d be going to work each day in the very house I used to play in with my cousins, the Mabey boys.”
We asked her what she enjoys most about her role at the gallery. “The Arts Village is a real social hub and I’ve met some amazing people... the trustees, volunteers, artists and of course the visitors. It’s a challenging position, but it’s also very rewarding.” She was quick to point out that although she’s been coming to Great Barrier Island for most of her life, her experiences were mainly limited to north of the Okiwi airfield. "Working for the trust has enabled me to get acquainted with a much wider section of the community."

Nell is an artist herself and works with a real mix of materials.  "I use recycled fabric to make egg cosies, tea cosies, bags and  hot water bottle covers. I also create mosaic chickens, pottery carrier pigeons, fused glass jewellery, woven baskets and more."
She’s very enthusiastic about her involvement with the village. “Its a really amazing project to have on the island,  I love being part of it, and seeing it grow. There’s  so much potential and some great plans in the pipeline. I'd like to see more people on the island involved, not just artists, but other community members who are interested in the museum/ heritage side, or want to help develop the grounds, or do art with kids.”