Regional network hui

During May and June creative spaces in the network graciously hosted Neil Wallace and Lucy Marinkovich, our two Creative Spaces Funding Advisors, for the regional network hui. A big thank you to each of the hosts for your generosity, your atawhai.  

“What an absolute privilege it was to meet you all and to experience the ‘heart’ you have for creativity in the community.  Throughout our visits, it was clear that your mahi enhances the mana of your artists and that this resonates through to your communities," says Neil. 

The hui were held in: 

• Kirikirioa Hamilton at Arts for Health 
• Tamaki Makaurau Auckland at Crescendo – 2 sessions 
• Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington at Toi Poneke 
• Whakatau Nelson at Cultural Conversations 
• Ōtepoti Dunedin at Artsenta  
• Ōtautahi Christchurch at Ōtautahi Creative Space 

There were open, honest, and robust discussions and it was evident that the work your spaces do is invaluable to your communities and at the core of who you are. The discussions focused on values and what was important personally whilst acknowledging how these feed in to the kaupapa of your creative space, helping to form your foundational values. 

This led into sharing about what cultural competency looks like in your spaces and what it meant to engage with local iwi. We explored the needs of each of your spaces regarding cultural training and heard of your enthusiasm to connect more deeply with local hapu, Iwi and Pasifika peoples. We also heard and appreciate that any cultural training needs to support local iwi engagement and that it needs to be more that a ‘one off’ workshop. You also asked us to acknowledge that Aotearoa’s communities are complex, multi-cultural, and diverse, with many languages, cultures, and identities.

The creative spaces team have spent time preparing notes and brainstorming ways in which we can continue to support you in the roll out of the cultural competency programme over the next 15 months.

Arts Access Aotearoa stands committed to being an engaged, and authentic Te Tiriti treaty partner. To this end we are on an organisational hikoi to deepen our understandings, appreciation, and respect for Te Ao Māori. 

It is our honour to walk besides you, Aotearoa’s creative spaces, and to work to increase our sectors cultural competency together. Its impact will build stronger and more inclusive communities where everyone’s creative expressions can shine brighter throughout the whenua.