We Love Totara St

#WELOVETOTARASTREET #SAVEOURVENUES #SAVEOURVENUESNZ

TOTARA ST is a multi-functional entertainment venue located in the heart of Mount Maunganui. The goal is to provide our community with the best live music venue and performing arts centre in the country.

TOTARA ST is used for a range of different events, including national and international touring acts, workshops, and private functions. Being under the same roof as the Mauao Performing Arts Centre, one of the most exciting benefits of having such a facility in the Bay of Plenty, is the fact that our music students get to perform and cut their teeth on the same stage, and with the same level of production as the larger shows we have through. We have hosted musicians such as Donavon Frankenreiter and Xavier Rudd, and within days, turn around and roll out one of our End of Term Student Concerts. The experience the students gain from taking to the stage, playing alongside other musicians, and in front of their families and friends is something they will carry with them for life. TOTARA ST has become somewhat of a “cultural hub” for music and entertainment within our community.

As with many other businesses around New Zealand and the world, our doors closed and we are staring down the barrel of not turning a dime for months on end. Which leaves us in a very scary position, as things such as rent, insurance, staffing costs etc carry on regardless. These are very uncertain times for our whole industry. This boosted campaign is to try and help us insure that we are still here to serve the community as an arts and culture hub for years to come.

We have a goal set to raise twenty five thousand dollars to help with our fight to keep this thing alive and kicking. We are asking for help, and that in itself is not an easy thing to do being a couple of typical kiwi males. We discussed long and hard as to whether or not we were to go down this track, and at the end of the discussions, the writing on the wall was pretty clear. Do it, or potentially face shutting the doors and walking away. This would be a crying shame for us, the community, our music students, upcoming bands, and for those of you who love getting out and listening to live music.

Using the hashtags #welovetotarastreet and #saveourvenues please share this campaign with your friends and family. Post your pics, videos and experiences of your times at TOTARA ST, tag mates and share the love. Our community needs this space and now is the time for us to fight for it. Thank you all for your support, stay safe, and we hope to see you on the dance floor soon!

This Boosted campaign is part of a nationwide awareness drive under the banner of Boosted LIVE presents #SAVEOURVENUES

Run by a dedicated committee of music lovers (including Reb, Matthew Crawley (Golden Dawn / Strange News, Lucy Macrae & Tom Anderson (Whammy Bar), Rohan Evans (The Wine Cellar) and Reuben Bonner (Banished Music), the #SAVEOURVENUES team seek to unite in support of Aotearoa's live music venues and music scene. To raise awareness and funds, and trigger a national response strategy in support of a thriving musical culture in New Zealand. 
#saveourvenues aim is to help generate support for crucial, original, small live music venues right across New Zealand, in cities and towns. And they are calling on everyone to help. Anyone can do it – artists, audience members, reviewers, techies, promoters – all of us.  First up – please donate now – chip in what you can to make a difference. Next - using the hashtags #saveourvenues and #welovesanfran post your own video or photo with your memory of the venue as a response and share this with your community along with the link to this page so that your friends can donate too.

Please support your local venues. They need you. 

Check out our website to see what else we are up to https://totarastreet.co.nz/.