Investing in Wellington

Read about creative spaces in Wellington, including Kāpiti Coast and the Wairarapa, that received three-year funding from Manatū Taonga. Their stories demonstrate the impact of the funding and what they were able to achieve.
Visit the Wellington directory for contact details.

Fareham Creative Space

Our vision “Hauora and wellbeing through creativity” places cultural practice and wellbeing at the centre of everything we do. We promote wellbeing and whanaungatanga through creativity and community by providing access to artmaking, creative expression, visual art, crafts, textiles, pottery, wearable art and dance.

Our programme includes open studio days, workshops and events, and we are responsive to both our participants and the needs of the wider community. We have open studio sessions as well as structured workshops run by specialised art tutors. We also cater for schools, providing art workshops across the school term.

Download the story

Fareham Creative Space (pdf)

Fareham Creative Space (Word)

Home Ground

Home Ground leverages supports the wellbeing, growth and transformation of women in the justice system. We offer access to high-quality arts practice, enhance creative delivery in challenging environments and promote regular participation in arts activities.

Through Home Ground projects, artists both inside and outside prison engage in creative practices such as dance, performance, photography, writing, painting and music to tackle the challenges faced by women and their whānau in the justice system. Established in 2019, Home Ground has conducted workshops with more than 200 women and collaborated with more than 40 artists.

Download the story

Home Ground (pdf)

Home Ground (Word)

Kāpiti Art Studio

Kāpiti Art Studio fosters creativity and connection in an inclusive environment for individuals facing participation barriers due to disabilities, neurodiversity or mental ill-health. Our mission is to nurture creativity while advocating for a more inclusive society that celebrates diversity.

We provide a safe space where more than 70 artists can explore their creative journeys, connect with peers and form meaningful friendships. Proceeds from artwork sales go directly to the creators, affirming their identities and boosting their self-confidence. Beyond artistic expression, we facilitate exhibitions and sales that help artists build community connections and combat isolation.

Download the story

Kāpiti Art Studio (pdf)

Kāpiti Art Studio (Word)

MIX

MIX is a mental health service in Upper Hutt and Lower Hutt with an outreach space, Te Whare Toi Ora, in Wainuiomata. We support our artists to connect and form shared communities, create opportunities for growth in wellbeing and art, and live life through the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

By building five actions into your life, you can improve your wellbeing. These actions are: connect by talking and listening; learn and embrace new experiences; give your time, words and presence to others; be as physically active as you can; and remember the simple things that give you joy.

Download the story

MIX (pdf)

MIX (Word)

Māoriland Hub

The Māoriland Hub is a centre of excellence for Māori film and creative arts. We are home for the Indigenous, a home for the arts, a home for ideas and conversations – he whare taketake, he whare tapere, he whare kōrero. Open year-round in Ōtaki Village, the Māoriland Hub showcases Indigenous creativity and innovation through film, visual art, music and performing arts, technology, kōrero and more.

 Multi-year funding provided Māoriland with the stability to develop and establish Te Ara Toi, a pathway for tamariki and rangatahi aged three to 15 years to experience the arts in Ōtaki.

Download the story

Māoriland Hub (pdf)

Māoriland Hub (Word)

Pablos Art Studios

For more than 30 years, Pablos has provided free arts opportunities, including materials, workshops, demonstrations, tuition, critique groups, exhibition opportunities, outings, outreach programmes and art therapy. Open Monday to Friday, artists work at their own desk or a communal table in a vibrant and welcoming space.

Pablos supports Tangata mātau ā wheako (those with lived experience of mental distress), focusing on maintaining mental wellbeing. Artists work independently or collaboratively toward their creative goals, balancing individual art practice with workshops and group projects. Creativity offers a space for self-expression, healing and purpose.

Download the story

Pablos Art Studios (pdf)

Pablos Art Studios (Word)

Te Ara Korowai

Operating for more than ten years, Te Ara Korowai is a peer-led creative wellbeing centre in Raumati Beach on the Kāpiti Coast. We provide a lifeline to people navigating mental health challenges in our community. We offer opportunities for participation and inclusion in classes focused on creativity and wellbeing. 

Our mission is to promote positive mental wellbeing through support, creativity and wellness. Our studio space is a place where people can learn diverse skills to increase community connectedness and improve their wellbeing.

Download the story

Te Ara Korowai (pdf)

Te Ara Korowai (Word)

The Shed Creative Space

The Shed was founded in Paraparaumu on the Kapiti Coast in 2014 with a vision to improve the lives of people who are marginalised. Our logo of three keys: enable, opportunity and inclusion. Each key symbolises the unlocking of potential where people are valued as contributing members of our community irrespective of their challenges.

Our creative space programmes include pottery, harakeke, weaving, art therapy, sewing, music, theatre and dance – each facilitated by a professional tutor. A cornerstone of our work has been to improve our social enterprise so The Shed Creative Space can become financially self-reliant.

Download the story

The Shed Creative Space  (pdf)

The Shed Creative Space  (Word)

Voice Arts Trust (now 3rd Act)

We support the social and emotional wellbeing of underserved communities, including older people and those living with dementia, former refugees, and new migrant youth and their families. Ask any of the people we work with every week, “What exactly happens in a Voice Arts class?” and almost everyone will say it is near impossible to describe.

Using the tools of improvisational theatre, which has a kete of potential activities, we provide free access to drama-based creative programmes where participants find their voice and their story, and develop the skills to share both.

Download the story

Voice Arts Trust (now 3rd Act) (pdf)

Voice Arts Trust (now 3rd Act) (Word)

WIDance

Our vision is a world where everyone can experience the joy and freedom of dance. Committed to removing barriers to the arts, Wellington Inclusive Dance (WIDance) provides a supportive, fun and creative environment where disabled and non-disabled participants can develop skills in contemporary dance, improvisation and composition.

Established in 2010, WIDance runs inclusive youth and adult community dance classes, outreach programmes, and performance opportunities open to all abilities across the greater Wellington region. Our visibility and impact have grown through participation in high-profile events such as the What’s Outside the Box expo and the CubaDupa festival. 

Download the story

WIDance (pdf)

WIDance (Word)