Creative Spaces NetworkUsing our letter templates, invite your local MPs to one of your events.
It is important that local government in your area are made aware of who you are and what you do for your communities, and we need to be proactive at keeping them in the loop and inviting them to our spaces and events.
We have prepared a templated letter, and we are asking you to use it to invite your local MPs and/or councillors to one of your events that demonstrate the positive impact of the work that is happening in your creative space. You may like to invite them to visit and chat with some of your artists. The key message with this advocacy action is to connect and build relationships with the people that are at the heart of community-based decision and to make sure that they know about your creative space.
We have also created a template follow-up letter to politicians and councillors after their visit. This is a great way to not only thank them for their visit, as well as ask them for a letter of recommendation, a positive comment or endorsement; ask them to come back and visit; and ask them to champion your space and the work you're doing.
Please consider the following guidelines:
• You can use Parliament's list of MPs to find out your local MP. Your local councillors can be found on your local Council website.
• Share our key messages in your dialogue, wherever possible.
• Take a lot of photos for social media and tag the Creative Spaces Network when you post about the visit. Tag the people you host too and thank them for attending.
• Electorate MPs host constituent clinics on Fridays, and this is when they work in and for their community. Arrange a meeting a couple of months after you've hosted an MP or councillor and give them an update on what's been happening in your creative space.
• When you follow up, ask them for a letter of recommendation, a positive comment or endorsement; ask them to come back and visit; and ask them to champion your space and the work you're doing.
Keep Arts Access Aotearoa and the Creative Spaces Network team in the loop so we can support you to get the most out of the opportunity.
Key messaging
·Creative spaces facilitate connectedness and partnership.
·Creative spaces empower people to achieve their full potential.
·Creative spaces harness the power of creativity to change lives.
·Creative spaces transform lives.
·Creative spaces provide pathways for people to connect and contribute to their communities.
