The NirMānā Projects
NirMānāFest - Kaua'i Mural Arts Festival
& Collaborative Youth Mentor Projects
Nirmana – comes from a Sanskrit word that means creation/transformation.
Pronounced – near-MĀNĀ
About
NirMānāFest is a week-long event that puts resident artists in teams of three to collaborate on new murals. In addition to highlighting our resident creators, these murals activate spaces, create a narrative for communities, and boost economy by bringing attention to local business. Many of these artists have gone on to bolster their own creative businesses, some become youth mentors for NirMānā Projects, and all continue to create!
Each of these murals costs approximately $8,000. Each artist receives $2000, while materials, lifts, and insurance are an additional $2000.
Partnerships and support for NirMānā Projects have come from Garden Island Arts Council, Rice Street Business Association, Kaua’i County, Kaua’i Planning and Action Alliance, Keiki to Career, The Kaua’i Resilience Project, the Spirit of CAN., Hawaii Arts Alliance, The National Endowment of the Arts, Hawaii Community Foundation, Hawaii Tourism Authority, and many local businesses.
Most notably, it has been incredible having unprecedented county support directly through our mayor’s office since the beginning of the current pandemic. Our local government is connected to NirMānā with encouragement and permission to use some of their property as canvases for these projects.
NirMānā Mentor Projects take place year round with the intent of facilitating lasting knowledge and relationships through practical, creative problem solving experiences, while linking Kaua’i youth in collaboration with professional creators on island. Each new project will include dedicated youth collaborators with the possibility of contributions from larger youth groups. Our focus during these projects is developing youth ideas/concepts and guiding them through a community project process, from proposal to finish.
We believe these projects add tremendous value on an exponential scale. While the youth collaborators grow on a personal level, the mentors also grow through the guided collaborations, and the greater community benefits from a new mural. The results are phenomenal, with confident kids and proud communities.
Projects, on average, cost between $2000-$10,000, including all materials, time, and insurance.
During the Event
Live Mural Painting
Come anytime during the week and catch the artists in action.
Watch as artist teams create collaborative murals before your eyes. It’s never been more fun to watch paint dry! Please be mindful of social distancing and remember the artists are working. If you do get a chance to stop by to check out the progress, be sure to give some encouragement, take some photos/videos, and tag the artists in your own social media post! We love to share what you share!
Artist Talks and Print Signing
Hear it from the source!
Leading up to, and during the week of painting, we will be checking in with the artists through live video feeds. Be sure to check out our social media and tune in!
Unveiling Party
All are invited!
Join the artists in celebrating the completion of their collaborative murals. We will have a street party with food trucks,
live music and give-a-ways!...
At least, that's the plan... with respect to the current pandemic, we will take very careful considerations with hosting these celebratory events. Check back in for updates as the event gets closer.
2020's Featured Artists
There was an open call to Kaua'i resident artists to take in a presentation on February 17th, 2020, at the Kaua'i Community College, Fine Arts Auditorium.
46 artists were given a NirMānāFest packet with instructions on submitting a mural design. Their designs were reviewed by a respected panel and narrowed down to 15 participants. Those 15 participants formed 5 teams of 3. Each of these teams collaborated on a final design for their designated walls.
A BIG SPECIAL THANK YOU to our proposal review panel...
Elsa Almaraz, Carol Bennett, Addison Bulosan, Vanessa Owens, Carol Yotsuda, and Terry Liu.
NirMānāFest 2020
NirMānāFest 2020
Nirmānāfest 2020 - Trailer
Day One - NirMānāFest 2020
Day Two - NirMānāFest 2020
Day Three - NirMānāFest 2020
2020's Generous Sponsors
The National Endowment for the Arts supports exemplary arts projects in communities nationwide through grantmaking, initiatives, partnerships, and events.
Hawai‘i Arts Alliance is a statewide private non-profit that champions all arts. The Alliance has been an ARTS FIRST partner since its inception in 2001, and is the State Captain for the national arts advocacy organization, Americans for the Arts. We represent more than 100 organizations and 3,000 individuals.
The Garden Island Arts Council (GIAC) is a non-profit organization comprised of an all-volunteer board of directors who provide a year-round program of art, cultural activities & events for the benefit of residents of & visitors to Kauai.
Generous contributor of 5 lifts for our artist teams! Electricians, Inc. is a local commercial electrical contractor that is 100% employee-owned. They have been in business since 1974 with experience in interior electrical work in the residential, commercial, and government sectors.
Generous supplier of our event paints and sundries. Their company's guiding values include Integrity, Quality, Performance, Innovation, and Growth. They pride Themselves on the strong relationships we have with their suppliers. It is thanks to these associations they are able to continue being a leading paint and coatings company for over 150 years.
Defeating “can’t” / “no can” daily with an apparel brand about life.
In a world where “CAN’T” often dominates the spotlight in our minds, “CAN” is the counter thought we have to consciously choose to focus on in order to persevere.
An energetic couple that followed their passions and started a Specialty Coffee & Food Truck on the gorgeous island of Kauai! Everyday should be amazing in paradise, and they hope to bring that to your experience with a delicious cup of coffee, tasty breakfast, a smile, and great conversation!
Kauai Hemp Company is a hemp farming & services company local to Kauai, HI. We also offer solutions to other hemp farmers to use parts of the hemp plant beyond the flower and leaves. We have proprietary formulas such as a nitrogen-rich fertilizer made from the hemp roots, plastics made with the hemp skins, and hempcrete made from the interior stalks. Our goal is to create:
Hawaii’s most sustainable and efficient vertically integrated hemp farm.
Hawaii’s first OTCO/USDA certified Organic Hemp Farm.
Hawaii’s first and only organic ethanol extraction center.
Offering Kauai surf and outdoor lifestyle apparel, accessories, gifts, gear, and products from the hottest surf brands like Billabong, Volcom, O’Neill, Hurley, RVCA, Vissla, Spirit of CAN and more, plus specialty Kauai Made items.
Deja Vu Surf Hawaii is located in Kukui Grove Center in Lihue, on Kuhio Highway in Kapaa and in The Shops at Kukui`ula in Poipu.
Celebrating more than 100 years in business, Deja Vu cares for our island community and is dedicated to youth and education through philanthropy, volunteerism, and extracurricular activities. Surf with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.
Generous donors of 10 safety harnesses, lanyards and carabiners.
After 32 years in business, Julie and Rick Haviland have simplified and downsized, leaving our long-time Poipu location behind, and consolidating adventure operations under one roof on Kipu Ranch.
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Non-Profit spearhead for NirMānāFest, helping build up the Rice Street business community.
The Garden Island News
October 22, 2020
The Garden Island News
October 28, 2020