An audio-visual exhibition in Tauranga highlights the mental health struggles people face in their lives.

In collaboration with director and photographer Tom Gould, Voices of Hope are relaunching audio-visual exhibition Behind the Smile, from April 17 - May 10.

With a mix of photos and audio, Behind the Smile profiles 11 everyday Kiwis who have faced mental health challenges throughout their lives.

Each individual reveals the issues they’ve had to navigate.

The theme is that everyone has struggles you can’t see Behind the Smile.

Voices of Hope co-founder Genevieve Mora says: “We are on a mission to inform, empower, and spread hope to those struggling with mental health, by amplifying inspiring voices of lived experience”.

“For this campaign, it was really important to us to share the stories of everyday Kiwis, in the hope that audiences will be able to resonate, reflect, and leave the space feeling hopeful and inspired.

“We are excited to bring this to a new community where hopefully more people can be positively impacted.”

This project has been over a year in the making, with Gould and the team, travelling across Aotearoa visiting the ‘happy place’ of each person in an effort to capture their essence in its truest form.

“We are thrilled to be hosting this extraordinary exhibition in Tauranga, which carries a profoundly powerful message about mental health - a subject often shrouded in silence and stigma,” said the Incubator Creative Hub director Simone Anderson.

“Through the art of photography, the Voices of Hope collaboration with Tom Gould has created the opportunity to bring these hidden narratives to light, presenting them in a visually compelling and accessible way.

“It is a celebration of art’s ability to foster awareness, empathy, and understanding, and we are honoured to be part of this transformative journey.”

Voices Of Hope invites viewers to head to the Peoples Gallery - Toi Ka Rere in the Incubator Creative Hub based in the Historic Village, 159 17th Avenue, Tauranga South.

Event Details

Exhibition Title: Voices of Hope – Behind the Smile

Host: The Incubator Creative Hub

Location: The People’s Gallery – Toi ka rere, the Incubator Creative Hub, Historic Village Seventeenth Avenue Tauranga

Public Launch Event: April 16, 5.30pm

Exhibition Dates: April 17 – May 10

Launching Alongside

Behind the Smile will be launched in conjunction with another impactful exhibition, Eye See You, a vibrant, community-driven art exhibition designed to celebrate visibility, identity, and connection. Held during Tauranga Pride Month, this event invites people from all walks of life - including those within the LGBTQIA+ community to paint their own eyes or the eyes of someone they love onto wooden tiles.