This exhibition showcases a selection of artworks from the 2025 World Car Free Day T-shirt Design Competition — our biggest yet. More than 175 entries were submitted by tamariki, rangatahi, and adults across Tāmaki Makaurau, each bursting with imagination, colour, and heart.

Artists were invited to design a tee that celebrates exploring the beauty of the Whau River, highlights the importance of completing Te Whau Pathway, and imagines how this future route could support World Car Free Day. The resulting designs express movement, connection, and a shared vision for a car-free future, even if just for a day.

“I think what inspired me was probably the nature side of it. It was kind of hard to think of something original, but I wanted it to feel New Zealand-y, so I put in koru shapes and some stripes — and even though I usually like sketching people in my spare time, I enjoyed trying something different.” – Elizabeth Heagren

 “Since I’m from Fiji I really like to embrace the Melanesian in me. And also, since I live in New Zealand, the Māori culture is really important to me, so I wanted to bring those things to my design.” – Vanshika Kumar, Freyberg Community School

“I quite liked how the river kind of flowed into a koru. I hope the design will encourage people to maybe be a bit more environmentally conscious, you know… like to use public transport more, or just be more mindful about how they treat the environment.” – Bushra, Avondale College