FGY Art Gallery Auckland held the first Cherry Blossom Art Salon in November 2017 at Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple Auckland. The exhibition was held from 25th November to 10th December. 32 local artists exhibited 154 art masterpieces of different genres. The distinguished guests and artists expressed their appreciation to Fo Guang Shan New Zealand, for connecting Art and community at the grand ribbon-cutting ceremony. Besides providing a platform for local artists, it also offers a tranquil place for people to enjoy the artworks at the temple. To thank all artists for their contribution, FGY Art Gallery Auckland hosted Artist Appreciation Lunch on 23rd December 2017. Over 40 local artists and 120 of their relatives and friends thanked FGS for providing an opportunity to exhibit in such a harmonious and tranquil environment. They were impressed with the professional and high standard of service from the exhibition team.

2018 Cherry Blossom Art Salon was held from 10th November until 9th December. 90 artists exhibited approximately 500 masterpieces of 10 different genres. More than 200 people attended the Ribbon Cutting Ceremony of Cherry Blossom Festival Art Salon on 24th November. International Artist Keith Morant and New Zealand sculptor Peter Brammer presented their artwork Neurorhythm and Balance respectively as gifts to FGY Art Gallery. They expressed their pleasure that their works have found a home. They felt the great compassion of the BLIA team. An Artist Appreciation Lunch was held on 15th December, where attendees had the opportunity to interact closer with Mother Nature. Abbess Manshin hoped that the artists could continue to unleash their potential and creativity to bring pride and contribute to their families, community and country.

The 3rd Cherry Blossom Art Salon was held from 2nd November to 1st December 2019 at Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Auckland. 500+ Artworks were exhibited from 91 Artists of 11 different categories. The Art Salon Finale was held in the Main Shrine on 23rd November, where over three hundred people attended. Abbess Manshin wished that everyone had a heart as beautiful as a blooming flower and artistic and quality living. Sir Barry Curtis presented an Award for the Best Garden to the temple. He thanked the temple for bringing this spectacular artistry scene to the public, which makes it an important venue to benefit the people and the community. Artist Steve Molly expressed that this trip to the temple has invigorated his artistic muse. Having seen his sculpture is displayed in the beautiful temple ground brought him a feeling of harmony and increased the value of his work.

The 4th Art Salon attracted 92 local artists with over 480 pieces of artwork on display. During this period, Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery Auckland specially invited the participating artists to hold approximately 30 artist educational sessions. The participating artists had live art demos and sharing sessions. This allowed the public to experience and feel the artists’creative process and understand the inspiration behind the art pieces. The artists were grateful for the platform provided by Fo Guang Yuan Art Gallery, which allowed them to showcase their artistic creations. Artist Sherill Bentley shared that she felt happy that more than 10 of her works had been collected by the public. The professionalism and dedication of the Fo Guang Shan team can be seen in every detail, from the application process to the acceptance of the works and the exhibition set-up.