Art on the Goldfields organiser Tracy Stroud said due to the success of the event, the charity it supported would be extended to include young people from beyond Cromwell to across rural Central Otago.
Privately owned land, near Bannockburn, was transformed into an arts trail featuring sculptures by artists from across the district to raise funds for Kelan’s Gift, a charity created after the death of her 17-year-old son Kelan Stroud in a car crash in the Cromwell Gorge in March last year.
Kelan’s Gift funds the Street Smart hands-on defensive driving course, hosted by the Tony Quinn Foundation at Highlands Motorsport Park, in Cromwell, for young drivers.
Mrs Stroud said the event, held at Labour Weekend, was well-received by visitors, including some from overseas.
"We had one guy, he said he’s gone all around the world to these sort of things and he thinks it was world-class, so that was quite humbling."
She was also humbled by the support of locals, who really got behind the project.
"The community really got behind it and everyone’s asking us when we’re doing it again," Mrs Stroud said.
Another was now planned for March 2027 — to coincide with the third anniversary of Kelan’s death, she said.
As well as the funds raised by Kelan’s Gift, this year Contact Energy and New Zealand rally driver Hayden Paddon gave to the Street Smart programme, ensuring another 40 learner drivers would be able to take part in the course.
