PLEASE DO TOUCH: Raglan artist Yaniv Janson wants people to touch his paintings – and that’s what they did at his exhibition, which featured in the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 4 to 14 June, coinciding with the annual UN meeting of the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Read more

Creative potential at Māpura Studios

18 June 2018
Māpura Studios in Auckland is one of a few creative spaces in New Zealand offering art therapy alongside the art tuition found in other community spaces around New Zealand. Diana McPherson, its Director, explains the distinction. “The process of making art and being creative is incredibly beneficial for everyone  but the art therapist helps the artist to explore the inner self, their thoughts and innermost feelings, and express these thoughts and feelings through the medium of art.” Read more

Artists grow at new Vincents site

31 May 2018
Vincents Art Workshop, situated in Wellington’s Willis Street Village, hums with artists, activity, ideas and regular exhibitions. But back in 2015, a time when it should have been celebrating 30 years since it opened, the creative space was facing a funding crisis. Closing its doors was a real possibility, recalls Glen McDonald, its Coordinator. Read more

Recognising the importance of our arts

17 May 2018
Budget 2018 lays the foundations for a significant programme of work that highlights the essential role the cultural sector plays in the wellbeing of our society, says Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Jacinda Ardern. “Arts and culture are not a ‘nice to have’. They are an essential part of our individual, community and national identity. For too long they have been treated differently when it comes to sustainable growth, career paths and economic benefits,” says Jacinda Ardern. Read more  

Waikato theatre director wins NZSL Arts Award 2018

11 May 2018
Dr Laura Haughey, Artistic Director of the theatre company Equal Voices Arts and senior lecturer in Theatre Studies at the University of Waikato, was presented the inaugural NZSL Arts Award at last night’s New Zealand Sign Language Awards 2018 in the Banquet Hall of Parliament. Richard Benge, Executive Director, Arts Access Aotearoa, presented the award. Read more 

Reflecting on Prison Voices event

30 April 2018
Two busloads of international and local writers, journalists and interested public travelled to the prisons in Upper Hutt and participated in a creative writing workshop. One busload took part in a workshop with male prisoners; the other with the women prisoners. In this article, three of the partners reflect on the success of the Prison Voices event. Read more 

Connections and inspiration at Network meeting

30 April 2018
Connections, sustainability, learning, inspiration and energy were among the words participants used to explain what they wanted to get out of the Arts in Corrections Lower North Island Network meeting, held in Wellington in April. Professor Sylvie Frigon told members she had been involved with women in prison for 30 years and that the arts were a tool that helped them express themselves and talk about painful issues. Read more