Community Engagement Matters in Public Art: Join Us in June to Connect, Learn, and Co-Create

Public art is often seen as the final product—a mural on a wall, a sculpture in a courtyard, a performance unfolding in a public square. But Maui Public Art Corps understands that the most meaningful public art begins long before the artwork takes form. It begins with community, with conversation, and with a deep and intentional connection to place.

That connection is at the heart of Hui Mo‘olelo, a storytelling-based public art initiative developed in collaboration with the County of Maui that centers the voices, experiences, and cultural knowledge of our local community. This June, we invite you to become a part of that process through two free, carefully designed community engagement events that continue to grow from the stories and relationships built in past Hui Mo‘olelo programs.

On Monday, June 16, we’ll gather at Waiheʻe Coastal Dunes & Wetlands Refuge from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. for Talk-Story on the Land, a guided walk led by Scott Fisher, Director of ʻĀina Stewardship at Hawaiʻi Land Trust. This refuge, located within the moku of Wailuku, is more than a beautiful landscape—it is layered with the histories of ancient Hawaiian villages, restored fishponds, sacred sites, and native species brought back through years of dedicated stewardship. Scott Fisher, a past Hui Mo‘olelo participant and long-time advocate for ʻāina-based learning, brings these stories to life in a way that honors the intricate relationships between people and land. By walking this path together—listening, observing, and asking questions—we cultivate a deeper understanding of what it means to belong to a place, and how that understanding can shape art that truly reflects the soul of our community.

This gathering also supports the development of Pua Liʻiliʻi (small flowers), a new site-responsive performance by acclaimed Native Hawaiian choreographer Christopher Kaui Morgan. Christopher’s work, part of our Hui Mo‘olelo: Lei Pua ʻAla program, is deeply tied to the land, culture, and identities that have shaped Hawaiʻi, including those of our queer communities. His work offers an interpretation of the stories of Hōkū Pavao, Francis Taua, Sean-Joseph Takeo Kahāokalani Choo and William Haʻo. This connection between place and performance reminds us that boundaries are not always as defined as we imagine; Waiheʻe is not separate from Wailuku, but a vital part of it.

Then, on Thursday, June 19 from 9 to 11 a.m., we invite you to Maui Nui Botanical Gardens for a Lāʻau Lapaʻau Garden Tour & Philippine Plant Medicine Workshop led by Hui Mo‘olelo storytellers Namea Hoshino and Nicolita “Nicki” Garces. Set among more than 60 thriving varieties of Hawaiian kalo, this hands-on, story-rich workshop offers a rare opportunity to learn about both Hawaiian and Philippine healing traditions through the lens of two cultural practitioners deeply rooted in their communities.

Namea, raised in Lahaina and trained in Hawaiian Studies, has led years of cultural workshops on kalo and its role in Hawaiian identity and resilience. Nicki, a queer Filipinx healer and activist from Kalihi, shares traditional Hilot practices and plant wisdom passed down through generations. Together, they embody a multi-layered sense of place—one that honors lineage, survival, and transformation. This gathering informs the creation of a new Hui Mo‘olelo mural at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College by international artist Jay Gilleard, also known as Cbloxx. The mural will reflect the story of master stone carver Uncle Hōaka Delos Reyes, as recorded by Anuhea Yagi, and contemporary queer histories shared by Nicolita and fellow storyteller Ashley Ancheta Galacgac. It’s a piece that holds both tradition and identity in balance—and it begins with community.

By joining us for either or both of these events, you’re not just learning about the stories behind a work of art—you’re participating in the process of honoring them. You’re helping us remember that art is not just for us, but of us. Not just on the land, but of the land. And that our public spaces can carry meaning when they are shaped by the people who know them best.

We hope you’ll RSVP, show up, and add your voice to this growing tapestry of place-based storytelling and shared creation. These moments of connection are what make public art truly public—and deeply personal.

View our entire June 2025 lineup at https://mailchi.mp/mauipublicart/june2025