Art For Aotearoa: Oceania Retirement Village Residents Create Breathtaking Art For Charity Auction

In the lead-up to World Environment Day on Thursday, 5 June 2025, Oceania is proud to announce The Art of Conservation - an online charity auction featuring original artworks created by its residents, with all proceeds going to the New Zealand Nature Fund.

Oceania residents across the country have been challenged to create art in line with the theme of environmental conservation - an issue that is deeply meaningful to residents.

Julia Biggs, Oceania’s Resident Experience Manager has been blown away by the art entered, saying, “the sheer talent of our residents is absolutely incredible”.

Now Oceania has selected the top original works which will be auctioned online, with funds supporting either the NZ Nature Fund’s general conservation efforts or one of 23 targeted projects around Aotearoa, as chosen by each artist.

“Not only does this auction give us a chance to share this talent with the wider public, it gives us a chance to support a deeply important cause,” Biggs says.

The initiative also reflects Oceania’s commitment to the Five Ways to Wellbeing - a framework designed to support mental and emotional health through five evidence-based actions: Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learning and Give.

These principles are embedded into daily life across Oceania’s villages and care centres, supporting residents to stay involved, active, and socially connected — all of which contribute to better mental health and overall wellbeing.

“We’re proud to be part of the Art of Conservation auction, which beautifully bridges creativity and conservation,” says Sarah Lyttle, Chief Executive of The New Zealand Nature Fund.

“The funds raised will directly support our work to protect some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most at-risk native species and habitats. It’s a visceral reminder that art has the power to both reflect the natural world, and help preserve it,” Lyttle adds.

NZ Nature Fund is an independent charitable trust dedicated to halting biodiversity loss and restoring ecosystems across Aotearoa New Zealand. It has supported conservation efforts for over 20 years.

The Art of Conservation auction will go live at 12pm on Thursday, 5 June. Anyone can take part, bid online, and support both local artists and the future of Aotearoa’s natural environment.

ABOUT OCEANIA: Oceania is a leading provider of aged care living and retirement living in New Zealand with over 35 sites and 3,900 residents across the country. Our purpose is to reimagine the retirement and aged care living experience through a human-centred approach, and we constantly challenge ourselves to deliver better for our residents and teams. Striving for better is in our DNA, but it is also something shared by our incredible residents.

ABOUT NZ NATURE FUND: The NZ Nature Fund (formally NZ National Parks & Conservation Foundation) has been supporting conservation projects for the last 20 years. The NZ Nature Fund raises funds for projects that halt the decline, protect and fully restore Aotearoa New Zealand’s wild places, strategically and at scale – establishing wilderness full of diverse and thriving eco-systems for generations to come. An independent charitable trust, our goal is to bring together conservation donors and investors who understand the urgency and are committed to achieving this turn around.

© Scoop Media