Latest news updates

Vincents artists pivot to poetry

21 December 2021
Artists from Vincents Art Workshop in Wellington, supported by poet and Vincents relieving tutor Sam Duckor-Jones, have pivoted from their usual visual arts and put together a booklet of 14 poems as part of a project by publishing house Landing Press. Each of the poets received a copy of Housing, along with Sam and Vincents Art Workshop. Read the story 

Teaching dance in prisons

17 December 2021
Kristie Mortimer is a Dance Educator with the Royal New Zealand Ballet. She has a PhD in Dance Studies and as the recipient of the 2020 Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance, administered by University of Otago, she wrote a resource to support teaching dance in prisons and in the wider community. Read the interview with Kristie Mortimer

Corrections strategy supports women’s healing

17 December 2021
Leadership, community partners and dedicated staff are vital to the successful delivery of Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections’ new strategy for women, says Hon Kelvin Davis, Minister of Corrections. “A strategy alone will not be enough to create lasting change in the corrections system, or to support women to reshape their lives,” he says. Read about the strategy 

Arts in Corrections highlights for 2021

17 December 2021
"This year has seen many achievements for Arts in Corrections Network members," bogs Chris Ulutupu, Arts in Corrections Advisor, Arts Access Aotearoa. "Thanks for all the work that’s gone into the running and facilitation of arts programmes in Corrections facilities around the country. It hasn’t been easy and some programmes are still not happening because of COVID-19 restrictions." Read Chris' blog

Accessibility integral to Illegally Blind show

25 November 2021
Susan Williams’ not-so-solo show, Illegally Blind, explores their life experiences and is designed to be accessible in as many ways as possible. “The show is inherently accessible,” Susan says. “Audio description and subtitles aren’t just provided; they are an integral part of the performance for everyone present.” Read about Illegally Blind 

Waikato creative spaces to help address gap

10 November 2021
Findings from research about the creative spaces sector, conducted by Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage back in 2019, showed the need for more engagement and partnerships with Māori and Pacific communities. Four creative spaces in the Waikato region plan to help address that gap, thanks to three-year funding provided by the Government through Manatū Taonga’s Creative Spaces Initiative. Read more 

New Toi Ora director navigates COVID-19 challenges

5 November 2021
Toi Ora Live Art Trust’s new director, Susanne Ritzenhoff, has hit the ground running, navigating the challenges that COVID-19 poses for the Auckland creative space and its artists. When she joined the Toi Ora team in July, she was looking forward to working with staff and stakeholders to continue developing Toi Ora. And then in August, Auckland moved into level 4 lockdown. Read more