VALUING CREATIVE SPACES: A report, Understanding the Value of Creative Spaces, presents findings from a survey of creative spaces throughout New Zealand. Requested by Hon Carmel Sepuloni and undertaken by the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the research aimed to provide key decision-makers and agencies with information about the sector to better understand how the sector operates, the services it provides and to whom. Read more about the report
Latest news updates
Report presents findings about creative spaces
9 July 2019
A report, Understanding the Value of Creative Spaces, presents key findings from a survey of creative spaces throughout New Zealand, intended to provide key decision-makers and agencies with information about the sector to better understand how the sector operates, the services it provides and to whom. Read more about the report
Vincents Art Workshop to open more hours
9 July 2019
Vincents Arts Workshop in downtown Wellington will soon be opening its doors for another eight hours a week, including on Saturdays, thanks to additional funding from Wellington City Council. A delighted Glen McDonald, the Coordinator at Vincents Art Workshop, welcomes the funding to help meet the growing demand for its service. Read more about Vincents Art Workshop
Volunteers strengthen Pablos’ community
4 July 2019 
“Volunteers help strengthen the Pablos community. They really do contribute to every facet of this organisation and we’re extremely grateful for their support,” says Ellyn Rose Whatley, Director of Pablos Arts Studio. The Wellington creative space supports people’s mental health and wellbeing by providing a safe, nurturing space for creativity, as well as free materials, art tuition and art therapy. Read more about volunteers at Pablos
Art therapy with men in Auckland Prison
27 June 2019
Māpura Studios is an art studio/creative space in Auckland for people living with diversity and adversity. Its kaupapa is “Changing lives through creativity”. Early in 2018 Simon Chaplin, Assistant Prison Director at Auckland Prison, contacted Diana McPherson, Director of Māpura Studios, and began a creative discussion. This resulted in the Department of Corrections engaging Māpura Studios to deliver the first formal group art therapy programme in a New Zealand prison. Read more about art therapy
PARS exhibition aims to remove stigma
25 June 2019
A series of workshops and an upcoming exhibition, facilitated by PARS Inc – People at Risk Solutions (PARS) in Auckland, is giving the exhibiting artists an outlet to express their feelings, connect with like-minded people and showcase their work to whānau, friends and the public. All of the artists bring a strong sense of cultural identity as tangata whenua and Pasifika to their work. Read more about the project
Otago Museum wins Arts Access Museums Award 2019
23 May 2019
Otago Museum was presented the Arts Access Museums Award 2019 for its collaboration with the local autistic community at the ServiceIQ New Zealand Museum Awards 2019 at Te Papa Tongarewa in Wellington on Wednesday 22 May. Richard Benge, Executive Director, Arts Access Aotearoa, presented the award for a collaboration that resulted in an exhibition of works by 28 autistic artists from Dunedin and around the country. Read more
