|
The Lāhainā Think-Space is a sanctuary of art and story designed to honor the voices of our community. Built on the foundation of the Hui Mo‘olelo storytelling program, this immersive installation invites residents and community to explore Lāhainā’s rich heritage and help shape the vision of the Lāhainā Memorial Project for the Office of the Mayor. Above all, this space is an invitation to reflect, listen, learn, and imagine together.
The Lāhainā Think Space was first piloted at Lahainaluna High School in April 2026 after the school emerged repeatedly in early Hui Moʻolelo recordings as a place of identity, continuity, and healing; developed in close collaboration with school leadership, the residency was intentionally designed as a low-barrier, self-guided experience that prioritized emotional safety, student agency, and trauma-informed engagement. Now, its next iteration at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center expands the listening-first framework into a highly visible public space intended to reach displaced Lāhainā residents and the broader Maui community, with new tools for intergenerational participation, memorial input, and civic engagement so future Think Spaces can continue evolving in response to what the community itself teaches us. |
Click to view our 5 min project film
|
Inside the Think Space
Audio
Our iPad audio stations feature curated clips from the Hui Mo‘olelo intergenerational archives—stories of favorite smells, sounds, and traditions that define Lāhainā. |
Visual
From the 1,000-foot student-led "Maui Strong" artwork to the King Kamehameha III Elementary murals, we showcase how public art reflects collective memory. |
Contribute
Learn how to capture & contribute your own intergenerational audio recording to our story archive, which will be an important part of the Lāhainā Memorial Project. |
|
The Think Space Journey
|
|
Think Space Actions
Story Preservation
Record "Talk-Story" sessions with an intergenerational partner for our archive & to help provide art and memorial inspiration. |
Memorial Design
Provide direct manaʻo (written, recorded, drawn) to the Mayor’s Office on what elements must be preserved in a memorial project. |
Civic Consulting
Using the exhibit as a text, groups analyze how public art & storytelling restores identity and guides the town’s "emotional blueprint." |
Creative Processing
Our "Sticker Buffet" & call-back areas offers a low-pressure space to process your journey through guided art and reflection. |
Project Timeline
- Jan 28, 2026: Team Tully is contracted to co-create the traveling Think Space exhibit
- Feb 11, 2026: Lahainaluna High School Principal Richard Carosso agrees to host the Think Space for April 2026; requests a self-guided/ low-pressure space that students may engage with during open periods
- Mar 23, 2026: Lāhainā Think Space announcement via eNewsletter
- Mar 24, 2026: Think Space area confirmed at Queen Ka'ahumanu Center for May & June 2026
- Apr 1, 2026: Uncle Bill Garcia leads the Lahainaluna Think Space blessing and unveiling
- Apr 5, 2026: Lahaina Think Space unveiled at Lahainaluna High School with cultural blessing (Maui Now)
- Apr 14, 2026: April 25 Open House invitation is promoted via eNewsletter + Lahaina Think Space open house and final day at Lahainaluna High School, April 25 (Maui Now)
- Apr 25, 2026: Think Space Open House @ Lahainaluna (10 am - 12 pm), then begin migrating the exhibit to Queen Ka'ahumanu Center + edit select stations for expanded public engagement
- May 8, 2026: Lahaina Think Space Case Study (Museum in a Box)
- May 22, 2026: Lahaina Think Space opens at Queen Kaʻahumanu Center (Maui Now)
- June 3, 2026: Queen Ka'ahumanu Center Think Space blessing (10:30 am)
- June 5, 2026: Think Space Stewards gathering with County of Maui and collaborators Rich Tully, Kepa Maly and Anuhea Yagi (WATCH)
- June 5, 2026: What We're Building Together: June Updates from Maui Public Art Corps (eNewsletter)
- June 19, 2026: Distribute "Good Grief" artist call
- Sept 18, 2026: Think Space: New York University (NYU) activation + panel discussion (Learn more)
MAHALO
|
Think Space installation design
Tully Design Studio Storytellers featured in the Think Space exhibit design Abraham "Snake" & Myrna Ah Hee and Lopaka White Sally Ann Delos Reyes Tom Fujita & Dean Tokishi Reverend Gensho & Yayoi Hara Louis Garcia III & Kaliko Storer Haines Burt & Jennifer Freeland Earle Kukahiko Timothy Medeiros Sr. & Teva Medeiros Theo Morrison & Erin Wade Commissioned artworks by Adaptations Dance Theater Christopher Carraway Stephen Henderson Sasha Hercik Richard O'Connor & team: Taisiya Zaretskaya, Natalie Greene, Ana Sofía Navia López, Aabha Sewak, Wanda Noonan, Music: JZ Barrell, Harold Griffin Christina Wine Wooden Wave Seven/ Eric Finley University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, School of Cinematic Arts artists Jenna Lee, Syril Pecson, Zach Quemado, and Abby Worthley Project/s sponsors County of Maui Atherton Family Foundation Fred Baldwin Memorial Foundation Hawai'i Rotary District 5000 Foundation Maui Fires Relief Fund Hawai'i State Foundation on Culture and the Arts HCF: Maui Strong Kaiser Permanente Lahaina National Endowment for the Arts and private donors of Maui Public Art Corps Partners and community consultants Irene Chase FEMA Steve Franz Darice Garcia Tambara Garrick Namea Hoshino |
Shannon I'i
Michele Navarro Ishiki Sara Jelley Jodo Mission of Hawaii Gregg Kaplan Pei-Ling Kao and students of the Department of Theatre and Dance at UH Mānoa King Kamehameha III Elementary School Kaiser Permanente Lahaina Kalapana Kollars Lahaina Cannery Mall Lahaina Restoration Foundation Lahainaluna High School Maui Arts & Cultural Center Maui High School Maui Historical Society Anthony Pfluke ProArts Playhouse Queen Ka'ahumanu Center Jocelyn Romero Demirbag Derek Snyder UH Maui College & UH Mānoa Waiwai Collective in Honolulu Anu Yagi A/V by Chelsea Fine Sean Hower Kelly McHugh-White Hoku Pavao Matt Pierce Think Space stewards Amy Peterson Anu Yagi Think Space words Kelly McHugh-White County of Maui Public Art Program + Maui Public Art Corps Uncle Bill Garcia Sissy Lake-Farm Kelly McHugh-White Matt Pierce Ann-Marie Power Erin Wade |
Highlights from our Lahaina Work
To date, our work in and for Lahaina has included the following 6 projects and related public artworks. Elements of these pieces have inspired the Lahainaluna Think Space experiences, visuals and activities to best align with student and teacher capacity.
To date, our work in and for Lahaina has included the following 6 projects and related public artworks. Elements of these pieces have inspired the Lahainaluna Think Space experiences, visuals and activities to best align with student and teacher capacity.
|
1. Sticker BuffetImmediately following the August 8, 2023 Maui wildfires, artists from around the world reached out to Maui Public Art Corps asking how they could help. When we learned displaced students were receiving donated hydro flasks and school supplies, we invited artists to contribute sticker designs so students could personalize these new belongings, and more than 100 artists responded. With leadership from Maui Waena Intermediate School and support from a $5,000 Hawaiʻi Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund grant, we created hands-on “Sticker Buffet" activities that invited students to make their own artwork in exchange for donated artist stickers, offering a creative outlet and helping restore a sense of identity and normalcy during a difficult transition. In total, 911 students participated from Lāhainā Intermediate School, Baldwin High School, Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School, ʻĪao Intermediate School, and Maui Waena Intermediate School. More: mauipublicart.org/mauistrong
|
“We are immensely proud of our students and their commitment to expressing the spirit of ‘Maui Strong’ through their art. This project not only showcases their creativity but also stands as a symbol of solidarity and resilience for the entire community.” — Jayme Kahoohalahala, ʻĪao Intermediate School
2. Maui Strong
In December 2023, Maui Public Art Corps unveiled “Maui Strong,” showcasing the artistic talents of 600 students who dedicated their creative efforts to convey resilience amid the August Maui wildfires. Following the success of the Sticker Buffet activities with Lāhainā Intermediate School, Baldwin High School, Pōmaikaʻi Elementary School, ʻĪao Intermediate School and Maui Waena Intermediate School, a new HCF Maui Strong grant helped to transform the student designs into a 1,000-foot mesh barrier fence and install it along a perimeter of the Lāhainā impact zone. The artwork installation served as a symbol of resilience, unity, and the promise of a brighter future amidst challenging times while simultaneously safeguarding individuals from the elements and potential hazards of the cleanup site. Students actively contributed to their community by creating meaningful artwork displayed prominently, fostering a sense of pride and ownership. Further, the barrier fence became a reminder for visitors of the area to act with respect as the community grieves and heals, further enriching their experience on the island. More: mauipublicart.org/mauistrong
“Our neighborhood got wrapped in love by artwork from students. My mouth dropped open and my eyes filled with tears when I first saw it. Mahalo kids and teachers and artists.” — @theohanamama
“Our neighborhood got wrapped in love by artwork from students. My mouth dropped open and my eyes filled with tears when I first saw it. Mahalo kids and teachers and artists.” — @theohanamama
3. Art for Hope
In June 2024, we launched a special exhibition in partnership with the County of Maui titled Maui Strong: Art for Hope, which was developed for the County’s Office of Recovery Satellite Office at Lāhainā Gateway. Directly inspired by the impactful 2023 “Maui Strong” student artwork installation, the exhibition continues this celebration of community resilience and unity in the aftermath of the 2023 Maui Wildfires. Hawaiʻi artists enrolled in the Local Public Artist Roster were asked to create new works symbolizing strength and hope, and to draw from the students’ artwork that embodies the community’s collective spirit and commitment to rebuilding and recovery. The resulting collection of 11 super-sized artworks highlights the artistic achievements of both students and professionals, and provides a visual testament to the promise of a brighter future. More: mauipublicart.org/lahainagateway
4. Hui Mo'olelo: Lahaina 2024
|
Hui Mo‘olelo welcomed new partner Lahaina Restoration Foundation to honor the rich history, culture, and sense of place of Lahaina through intergenerational storytelling. Following the wildfires, schools, healthcare facilities, and community organizations requested our Hui Mo‘olelo workshops as a way to process experience through shared narratives, leading to site-based public art rooted in local voice. Through this partnership, 2024 workshops were facilitated by previous cohort participants Kalapana Kollars of the Lahaina Restoration Foundation and Anuhea Yagi, Student of Hawaiian Life Ways, who trained participants in storytelling and audio recording methods to collect personal and cultural histories. These stories became the foundation of our summer 2024 artist call, inviting proposals for site-specific public artworks. As of June 30, 2025, the narratives have inspired nine public art projects across Maui and Oʻahu, including five animated film shorts, one utility box artwork, and three mural installations. The Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina project continues to foster connection, cultural continuity, and place-based art grounded in community voice. Learn more: mauipublicart.org/lahainamoolelo
|
Resulting Public Art Projects:
5. Hui Mo'olelo: Lahaina 2025
|
In November 2025, we completed our seventh Hui Mo‘olelo cohort, advancing the program’s evolution from a storytelling and public art initiative into a vital resource for preserving local knowledge and supporting community-informed dialogue as Lahaina rebuilds. Led by past cohort member Kaliko Storer, participants received training in program history, story-collection methods, and interview practices that honor those who share their hopes and memories of Lahaina. Now undertaking an expanded role, the cohort is collecting richly detailed, intergenerational talk-story recordings—work to be completed by March 31, 2026—that will offer trusted, community-rooted insights for planners, artists, and decision-makers. These recordings will contribute to a living archive that informs future public artwork, supports collective healing, and provides meaningful guidance for efforts such as the Lahaina Memorial Project, the Royal Complex Master Plan, and long-term planning for the Commercial Core, helping illuminate what Lahaina has been and what it can become.
|
6. The Hui Mo'olelo: Lahaina Exhibit
|
In 2025, the Hui Mo‘olelo: Lahaina Exhibit debuted at Lahaina Cannery Mall, featuring 21 watercolor portraits by artist Christina Wine of kūpuna and community members who shared their stories through Hui Mo‘olelo workshops, paired with quotations and QR codes linking to full audio-recorded talk-stories. The cohort’s recordings have since inspired public artworks across Maui and Oʻahu, including animated films, murals, utility box wraps, and now this traveling exhibit, which we look forward to bringing onto a high school campus as a living learning experience. Students will be invited not only to engage with these stories, but to record their own talk-story conversations with family members and contribute to this growing public collection, helping honor Lahaina’s past while shaping a future rooted in collective memory. Learn more HERE.
|