ARTIST RESIDENCY PROGRAMME
Stoddart Cottage offers an annual artist residency in partnership with the artist-owner of Karearea Cottage in Purau. This provides the opportunity for an artist to spend one month working in the Purau hills near Diamond Harbour amongst the beauty and peace that inspired the artist, Margaret Stoddart a century ago. Applications are particularly welcome from artists interested in interacting with the local environment or themes inspired by the work of Margaret Stoddart.
Held at Jo Ewing’s Kārearea Cottage, with support from The Stoddart Cottage Trust
Karearea Cottage is on a 10-acre block cut from a large farm nestled above Purau. Well off the main road, it is in a quiet and peaceful location with no immediate neighbours. Comfortable, homely and light, the cottage has two bedrooms and a separate small studio with beautiful views out to Purau Bay. Given its rural location, residents will need to provide their own transport.
The residency is open to artists who live outside the Diamond Harbour/Southern Banks Peninsula area. The artist will have sole use of the cottage, for which there is no charge, just an agreed contribution ttowards the utilities used. Some interaction with Stoddart Cottage and the local creative community is encouraged during the residency, such as presenting a talk or work in progress at the cottage. The artist is also invited to exhibit works made during the residency at Stoddart Cottage Gallery at a later time if desired.
Image Gallery: Anita DeSoto during her 2025 Artist in Residence at Karearea Cottage, Purau
Artist Residents 2022-2026
2022 June Wayne Seyb, painter.
Exhibition Edge of Water held at Stoddart Cottage Gallery in January 2023
2023 May Delaney Davidson, painter.
Exhibition Eyes for the Hills held at Stoddart Cottage in February 2024.
2023 September Louise Menzies, print on textiles and paper.
Exhibition Purple Cliffs, Blue Hills held in March 2025.
2024 April Karl Fritsch and Lisa Walker, jewellery and multimedia.
Exhibition We Did All These Landscapes, jointly with painter Brenda Nightingale, held at Stoddart Cottage in May 2025.
2024 May-June Turumeke Harrington, paint, multimedia.
Exhibition No Cruising Zone, a group show with other Lyttelton artist friends, held at Stoddart Cottage Gallery in September 2025.
2025 July Anita de Soto, painter.
Exhibition She Does Not Fit the Frame held at Stoddart Cottage in February 2026.
2026 April Ani O’Neill, fibre, textiles, multimedia.
Exhibition at Stoddart Cottage November 2026.
Artists interested in the residency should submit an email application to Stoddart Cottage Gallery Manager, Kate Belton, after the annual call has been made: info@stoddartcottage.nz.
Please provide details of the project you would like work on during the residency and your practice (up to one page), a biography, artist CV that includes your current location, and 3-5 examples of/or links to your work. Please submit these as a single PDF document.
We are delighted to announce that the recipient of the 2026 Stoddart Cottage Artist Residency is Ani O'Neill!
Applications for the 2027 Residency will open on November 1st, 2026 and be advertised on our website and on our social media accounts.