Arts Access Aotearoa
Across our programmes, 2025 has been a year of small actions creating big impact. From individual artists to creative spaces and national networks, our advisors have seen how persistence, creativity and collaboration can make the arts more accessible for everyone.
As we marked Arts Access Aotearoa’s 30th anniversary with a celebration high tea at Government House (where our staff are pictured above), we’ve also reflected on what drives this work forward: our communities, advocacy and the daily commitment to making meaningful change.
Below, each of our programme advisors shares a moment from 2025 that stood out in their mahi and reflects on those moments of progress, connection and the collective effort shaping arts accessibility across Aotearoa.
Katie Querin, Arts For All Activator Whakahohe a Toi Ōritetanga
In 2025, the focus of the Arts For All Network was how small changes over time can make a big difference in accessibility. Many Network members proved that access can be a priority even without a big budget or a sizable team. Sometimes it’s all in creative thinking, gaining knowledge and willingness to try something new. From mighty teams of one to the largest arts organisations, magic was made all year as small accessibility wins built into massive milestones. Check out a small slice of the wins in our celebrating 2025 blog post, where we take stock of all the little moments that made this year such an empowering year for the Arts For All Network.
Stace Robertson, Lead Accessibility Advisor Kaiārahi a Toi Ōritetanga
2025 was a big year for Taha Hotu Deaf and Disabled Artists Initiative. It was a year of building, connecting and nourishing the kaupapa through our growing community of artists. We began with a soft launch of the resources, accessible formats and the website mid-year, opening the digital doors of the initiative to the world for the first time.
In late August, at The D* List in Tāmaki Makaurau, I held an artist networking hui where Deaf and disabled artists gathered to share experiences and their hopes for what Taha Hotu could become. The image to the right was taken at that hui. It captures something I think we all felt strongly on the day: the power of gathering as Deaf and disabled people to connect and share.
In early December, we hosted an invite-only celebration at the Creative New Zealand office in Te Whanganui-a-Tara to thank the Deaf and disabled artists, community members and advisors who helped to shape Taha Hotu. This was an opportunity to recognise the years of conversation, advocacy and lived experience that sits behind the initiative, informs the resources and brought the programme to life. Taha Hotu exists thanks to the community of Deaf and disabled artists who helped to build it, piece by piece, over many years.
Looking ahead to 2026, I’m feeling energised by what’s possible and looking forward to everything we have planned to activate Taha Hotu within our Aotearoa and beyond.
Fiona Sharp, Creative Spaces Network Development Advisor
During a visit to Christchurch for the South Island creative spaces networking event in September, a moment perfectly captured the heart of our network. Participants visited open creative spaces across the city, including Jolt, a vibrant, movement-led organisation known for inclusive dance practice and leadership pathways.
Advisors were invited to participate in guided movement sequences led by Jolt dancers completing leadership training. One sequence involved a wheelchair-using participant. The interaction was not just movement: it was connection. The leader guided their partner with care and shared purpose, while the dancer’s joy radiated across the room.
That moment embodied the values that our Network upholds: dignity, autonomy, creativity, belonging and the transformative power of being seen.
Jazz Lolesio, Arts Access Activator Auckland Whakahohe a Toi Putanga ki Tāmaki Makaurau
 landscape sm.jpg)
The Shifting the Stream forum in Tāmaki Makaurau brought together 70+ creatives, funders and sector leaders to explore sustainable solutions for arts access. Hosted at Te Puna Creative Hub, the forum included keynote insights, collaborative discussions, and a “What Next” session focused on actionable strategies.
What made the forum different was the way people engaged with each other. Funders, practitioners, and creative space leaders sat at the same tables, sharing challenges and ideas on equal footing. It created an atmosphere where people listened openly and focused on solutions, rather than barriers.
A clear message emerged across the kōrero: creative spaces need stable, multi-year resourcing to deliver the outcomes they’re already proving they can achieve. One of the strongest outcomes from the day was a shared commitment to develop a sector-specific evaluation system. This will give creative spaces the tools and data they need to strengthen funding applications, demonstrate impact, and advocate more effectively for long-term investment.
Neil Wallace, Arts In Corrections Advisor Kaiārahi A Toi Ara Poutama
2025 strengthened the foundations of arts delivery in prisons through the national rollout of "Te Ara ki Runga The Path Up", which is now guiding safer, culturally grounded practice across sites. We also advanced the Arts in Corrections Educator pathway, with expressions of interest now open for two cohorts in 2026 to build confident, skilled arts educators. Alongside this, we piloted He Pou Toi with three incarcerated participants, supporting their development as emerging arts educators.
The accompanying image was taken at Hawke's Bay Regional Prison, where I’m standing in front of a mural painted by a man in one of the units. It’s a reminder of what these kaupapa make possible: creative expression that builds confidence, strengthens identity and contributes to safer, more connected prison environments.
Together, these initiatives are shaping a more consistent and collaborative arts-and-justice landscape across Aotearoa.
Wrapping up
2025 has been a year of moments, milestones and mahi. Whether it was small wins in accessibility, joyful connections in creative spaces or advancing pathways in arts and justice, the real story comes from the people whose dedication makes change possible. We look forward to 2026 with renewed energy and commitment ready to continue working alongside our communities to make the arts accessible for everyone.
