Arts Access Aotearoa’s Trust Deed was signed on 22 July 1995. Nearly 30 years have passed since then, bringing with them opportunities to grow, learn, make adjustments, and be intentional about how best to deliver on our purpose: “Arts Access Aotearoa works in partnership to increase access to the arts for people in Aotearoa who experience barriers to participation.”

I like to take time to acknowledge milestones. Whether it’s your own or another’s birthday, or a personal or career anniversary, celebrating achievements is an opportunity to come together, pause in gratitude, be appreciative and take stock of what’s been accomplished.

At Arts Access Aotearoa, we get to cheer alongside others in our sector as they celebrate their own milestones. Vincents Art Workshop, for example, is ahead of us by ten years and is about to turn 40 next month. Read more about Vincents’ celebrations

And WIDance is celebrating its 15th anniversary with a performance at St Andrews on The Terrace in Wellington on Saturday 26 July.

Each year and particularly on milestone occasions, we get to ask: "What difference have we made in the time we've had?" And importantly, "What do we get to do next because of what we have become?"

I’ve been reflecting on both the crew that guides our waka and the tools that have helped Arts Access Aotearoa navigate the course. Without them, our journey could have been far more haphazard and possibly shorter.

These are the essentials I’ve learned to rely on – and they’re crucial for any purpose-focused, not-for-profit organisation.

Firstly, having a well-written and fit-for-purpose founding document, or trust deed, is vital. It acts like a birth certificate, defining your organisation’s identity and intentions for the future.

With current requirements to refresh these documents every three years for Charities Services, there’s a built-in opportunity to reflect on your direction and reaffirm your intentions.

Goals to sharpen our focus and act as checkpoints along the road

Next are goals. These are points ahead to aim for and they help sharpen our focus and act as checkpoints as we travel the long road. Measurable goals help us answer the question: Are we there yet?

Another essential are organisational values – genuine, considered values that guide and support our journey like points on a compass. In Aotearoa, our values also signal what we stand for, how we support each other and the people we serve. Our work is grounded in te Tiriti o Waitangi and a commitment to equity. We recognise the status of Māori as tangata whenua and work to ensure everyone in Aotearoa has equitable access to the arts. Following the support of our kaumatua, our policies, strategic plans, fundraising and operations are guided by these commitments and our values.

Then there’s the life force of every organisation: its people. I’m deeply grateful to generations of trustees who have provided their governance oversight, professional or lived experience and accountability – elements essential to both sustainability and longevity. Their encouragement and guardianship help build team confidence along with necessary safety considerations.

Our colleagues, whether volunteers or paid staff, bring their skills, lived experience, talent, personalities  and energy. When aligned with an organisation’s values and purpose, these contributions make our work authentic. Together, we honour the original vision with refreshed ideas that keep us relevant and connected to the communities we serve.

Working in partnership critical for support

True partnership is critical for support, whether it’s with funders, donors, strategic partners, web designers, lawyers and specialists that believe in our mission and help us bring it to life. You sense you are in it together.

Listening and sitting in circles: this is another essential for us at Arts Access Aotearoa.  We have learned everything about how we need to be by listening to our diverse communities’ elders, youth and people with lived experience of disability, mental distress or experience of incarceration.

Yet – and this in 2025 is the pain point – some not-for-profits come too early to the end of their journey. We are living through a time of insufficient financial support and recognition for the potential of community organisations to build strong communities and help people’s wellbeing.

There’s much more to say about sustainability and longevity but one survival tool stands out to me: curiosity. It may sound naïve in the face of serious challenges like funding shortfalls or staff overload. But if we can stay curious – asking questions like what if?, what could happen? and what can I learn from this? – then we grow, sustain our vision and deliver on our purpose.

Asking questions can reveal new perspectives to help us with today’s and future challenges. Please let me know (Email: richard.benge@artsaccess.org.nz Phone: 04 802 4349) what you’re curious about. What are your “best questions” that will help you grow and sustain your organisation? We’ll include them in our next blog. You can also provide feedback and your questions in the comments box below.

And finally, here are four recent stories or blogs that illustrate the huge, positive impact that the arts can have:

• Kākano nurtures seed so it will grow, a blog by Mandy Patmore 

• ATC opens doors to neurodivergent audiences

• Kim Anderson: from head to page

• Te Kāhui a potent tool to heal and grow