Laura Millward: enabling others

Laura Millward: enabling others

Born and raised in Raglan, Laura Millward (Tainui) is the Centre Manager of Te Whare Toi o Ngaaruawaahia, trading as NGĀ ART. She has a background in tertiary education, and in working and volunteering in the community.

NGĀ ART, previously known as Twin Rivers Arts Centre, was established in 2002. Its core focus is on crafting and delivering engaging artistic experiences, workshops, classes and events, in collaboration with the community.

“At NGĀ ART, we want to become the central creative hub of Ngāruawāhia, offering diverse opportunities for artistic expression,” Laura says. “Our programmes are designed to be inclusive, catering to individuals of all backgrounds, abilities, ages and levels of expertise. We extend a warm welcome to everyone, valuing diversity in ethnicity, culture and experiences.

“A key initiative is showcasing community art, celebrating the diverse tapestry of our community through exhibitions that highlight and honour our differences.

“And our ultimate goal is to foster an environment where creativity knows no bounds and where everyone can find a place to express themselves freely.”

In this Q & A, Laura answers three questions put to her by Arts Access Aotearoa.

1. What are three key ingredients required to lead a creative space?

My role at NGĀ ART is to provide leadership and strategic direction, ensuring we’re meeting the creative needs of our community in Ngāruawāhia.

Being a leader in a creative space means recognising the transformative power of enabling others. At the heart of this amazing role lies a deep commitment to nurturing a culture of sharing, serving and empowering the community through artistic expression.

Three pivotal ingredients form the foundation of our mission, shaping everything we do here.

Firstly, connection to our community is the lifeblood of our existence. It's not about creating art in isolation. It's about weaving our individual narratives with the threads of our community's stories.

Secondly, a safe space is the canvas on which our creative energies flourish. Within our safe space, vulnerability transforms into strength, allowing everyone the freedom to explore their artistic superpowers. Diverse voices are celebrated, fostering a culture of inclusivity and belonging.

Lastly, challenging ourselves daily fuels our growth and evolution as a community organisation. Every day presents an opportunity to stretch our creative boundaries, ensuring the magic we conjure is accessible to all. It's about pushing ourselves to innovate, adapt and refine our offerings so the art we create remains an inspiration for everyone we serve.

My leadership philosophy revolves around being an enabler – facilitating, nurturing and cultivating an environment where creativity thrives, community bonds deepen, and the transformative power of art becomes an enriching force for all. Mauriora!

2. Tell us about the Our Stories project and what it’s achieved.

"Ngāruawāhia: Our Stories" was our documentary film project, showcasing the multicultural fabric of Ngāruawāhia, the rich tapestry of local stories from our community and presented through a local perspective.

Delving into the heart of our community, it uncovered previously untold tales, experiences and perspectives that have shaped our collective identity. It also provided a platform to foster and celebrate diversity, resilience and our unique identity.

We harnessed the skillsets of our team to make this film, working together to connect with the many members of the community who wanted to contribute to the film. Parallel art programmes were taught alongside the filming that embraced their stories and poems.

The art exhibited alongside the film was celebrated at the film premiere, enabling a broader range of our community to share their own stories.

"Ngāruawāhia: Our Stories" enabled us as an arts organisation to engage and educate audiences by providing a deeper understanding of the community's history, culture and values.

As a team, we find immense pride in the film and the legacy it represents. It’s showed us our potential to be a catalyst for significant achievements, raising awareness of what we can accomplish together.

3. What are the benefits of your self-directed Kaumātua Creatives programme?

A keystone project for 2023 was the first delivery of our Kaumātua Creatives programme. This programme is targeted towards people 50 years or older who get to come together to express themselves, get creative, move, connect, share and showcase their creations.

Kaumātua Creatives runs for ten weeks per term (four terms per year). It’s a community-led programme where kaumātua work alongside our seniors’ programme coordinator to develop each term’s programme. The kaumātua lead many of the lessons with the support of the seniors programme coordinator.

The magic of sharing empowers them to gain new skills and passions as they are exposed to all kinds of creative ideas, concepts and opportunities. This year they will exhibit twice.

Participants describe the following benefits of this programme:

• “Boosted creativity, I’ve found skills I didn’t know I had.”
• "Improved wellbeing, made new friends.”
• “It’s fun.”
• “Ideas from everyone in the class are valued. It makes us feel important.”

We are super-proud of this group, with one of their collaborative works being showcased in the Waikato District Council Chambers. 

This interview is part of a Q & A series about the role of managers, art tutors and facilitators in creative spaces around  New Zealand. For more information about NGĀ ARTS and other creative spaces in Waikato, visit the creative spaces directory.