Investing in Canterbury

Read about the creative spaces in Canterbury that received three-year funding from Manatū Taonga. Their stories demonstrates the impact of the funding and what they were able to achieve.
Visit the Canterbury directory for contact details.

Art-East

Art-East was established in 2014 with the vision of creating a safe, creative place for people struggling with a range of issues, including alcohol or drug addiction, mental health and experience of the justice system.

We are a visual art studio specialising in a variety of mediums. We have regular outings in Christchurch, connecting members with established artists in the arts community. Members are able to tap into their creative potential, develop confidence and strengthen their sense of identity in a safe and supportive environment with specialised counselling support available if wanted.

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Art-East (pdf)

Art-East (Word)

Arts Integrated

Arts Integrated has been operating since 2016 with the vision of providing training, guidance and encouragement of disabled people to experience and develop their performing arts ability.

In 2025 this will be delivering eight 10-week courses, as well as the facilitation of a creative club for young people. The club and courses support young people to access the performing arts under the expert guidance of qualified tutors in movement, music, performing arts, digital design and circus. Our students are between the ages of 17 and 35 who are transitioning, or have recently transitioned, out of school.

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Arts Integrated (pdf)

Arts Integrated (Word)

Cantabrainers Therapeutic Choirs

Cantabrainers Therapeutic Choirs exist for people with neurological conditions, helping them to improve their voice and communication through singing and socialising. Our choirs provide affordable and accessible rehabilitation for members who may not be able to afford private therapy. The clinical improvements of singing for those with a neurological condition is proven and we see that each week with our members.

Our weekly sessions are led by a registered music therapist and a registered speech-language therapist. The sessions use various elements of music and speech therapy (rhythm, pace, pitch and volume), and enable those who have difficulty with vocal expression and communication caused by neurological conditions to see meaningful improvements. 

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Cantabrainers Therapeutic Choirs (pdf)

Cantabrainers Therapeutic Choirs (Word)

Jolt

Jolt has been pioneers of innovative, inclusive dance since 2001. Programmes place the dancers at its centre, challenging mainstream perspectives about dance and deficit views of disability. Disability leadership is fundamental to our work. Jolt’s Move programme is groundbreaking, creating a pathway for dancers with intellectual disabilities to teach.

Move tutors are employed in Jolt classes, workshops and residencies, working with diverse communities. Our performances share the stories of our dancers and celebrate their unique ways of moving and thinking. In creating Jolt Interactive, Jolt was the first company in Aotearoa creating performances specifically for tāngata whaikaha Māori (disabled Māori).

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Jolt (pdf)

Jolt (Word)

Linwood Community Arts Centre

The Linwood Community Arts Centre (Linwood Arts) is an integral project of Te Whare Roimata Trust, a not-for-profit, treaty-based, community development organisation. Linwood Arts provides a varied, affordable, arts-related programme to people least advantaged in the Eastern inner-city neighbourhoods of Christchurch.

As well as operating as a creative space, we specialise in offering quality, accessible exhibition opportunities for local artists. We are committed to artist development through our exhibition programme and community development via participation. Supporting community via inclusion, connectedness, individual and community wellbeing lies at the heart of our work.

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Linwood Community Arts Centre (pdf)

Linwood Community Arts Centre (Word)

Many Hats Theatre Company

Many Hats, supported by Skillwise, was established in 2013. Our mission is to provide access for people with disabilities to creative expression through the creation and presentation of drama performances.

Our classes draw out the strengths, interests and experiences of each performer. They introduce a wide range of performance techniques – from poetry and puppets to improvisation and verbatim theatre. They expand on this by bringing in professional actors, theatre technicians and musicians to work with each group.

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Many Hats Theatre Company (pdf)

Many Hats Theatre Company (Word)

Ōtautahi Creative Spaces Trust

We are a creative community of people with mental distress, using the power of creativity to transform lives. Our studios are a launching pad for incredible opportunities: mentoring, collaborative projects, exhibitions, visits to galleries and having work featured in our online shop and 3D gallery.

Drawing on Te Whare Tapa Wha and the Circle of Mana, everything we do is tailored for the needs of people with experience of mental distress and trauma. We work closely with mental health services in Ōtautahi. Committed to equitable access, our communities of focus are Māori, Pacific, Rainbow and Muslim communities.

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Ōtautahi Creative Spaces Trust (pdf)

Ōtautahi Creative Spaces Trust (Word)

The White Room

The White Room is an inclusive art space that brings disabled and non-disabled artists together as a creative community united by a shared passion for art. It provides a space to learn new techniques in visual art and opportunities to share ideas through interaction with visiting artists and tutors. It is a space that fosters creativity, skill-sharing, new ideas and ways of expression.

Through our involvement with many different organisations, we support artists wanting to connect and find opportunities to exhibit their art, explore options to sell their work and develop their arts practice.

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The White Room (pdf)

The White Room (Word)