The gallery is situated in Mahara Place, a small shopping area in Waikanae, just north of Paraparaumu. The Waikanae Library is opposite the gallery. Shoreline Cinema is next door, and there is a host of eateries and shops dotted around the hub. Adding to the buzz in the town centre Toi MAHARA has an active education programme, concert and event programme that runs alongside exhibitions. On the way out the door make sure you stop into the gallery retail space. It sells merchandise, jewellery, books, and artworks by local artists.
Toi MAHARA was founded by artists and volunteers as a charitable trust in 1996. Along with reflecting the diverse local community, its mission is to offer enriching art experiences and present heritage and contemporary art in thoughtful and challenging ways.
The name Mahara has several meanings, including ‘memory’ and ‘reflection’. The name derives from Mahara House, an accommodation building built in Waikanae in 1901.