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Rangitoto College is proud to have a vibrant and dynamic Visual Arts Department, led by experienced and passionate teachers who are dedicated to nurturing student talent and creating meaningful opportunities for artistic growth.

Learning in the Visual Arts is all about exploring creativity, expressing ideas, and connecting with the world around us. Students are encouraged to embrace their own artistic outlook while engaging with the perspectives and practices of other creative thinkers.

With a wide range of course options, students have the freedom to develop their own style and find inventive solutions to visual challenges. Along the way, they build strong self-management skills that support success across all subjects.

Visual Arts students regularly connect with the real world through exhibitions, collaborative projects, and visits from practicing artists. Creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking are at the heart of every project, helping students communicate visually while mastering techniques across both traditional and contemporary media.

What we offer:

  • A full range of senior NCEA subjects: Painting, Printmaking, Photography, Design
  • A two-year IB Diploma Programme
  • Excellent facilities: two media suites with iMacs, an art library, photography studio, and specialist printmaking space
  • Experienced, passionate, and knowledgeable staff
  • Extra-curricular and leadership opportunities: annual exhibitions, local competitions, and creative clubs
  • Supportive, collaborative, and personalised learning environments
I took Design to challenge myself to show creativity through the art of combining text and pictures. I would highly recommend Design to students wanting to go down this pathway in University and also for anyone wanting to start something new and fun.
- Veti Afu, Year 12 Design

Paul Stevens

Bachelor of Design and Visual Arts (Photography), Graduate Diploma of Arts (Art History), Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary)

With a background as a photographer and with over a decade of experience as a secondary school art teacher, I am passionate about the opportunities which a visual arts education represents, both in the diverse and vibrant creative industries (a massive area of growth in Aotearoa) and more importantly in the possibilities of self-actualisation which comes with a deep knowledge-rich engagement with the arts. Creativity, craft, collaboration, curiosity, citizenship, and critical inquiry: our ‘C’s which empower our students and expand their horizons are essential to living a full life. We teach as part of our mission to create a better world for all of our students, and the arts show them how they can be a part of this too.