About Arts Access Aotearoa
Arts Access Aotearoa | Putanga Toi ki Aotearoa works in partnership to increase access to the arts for people in Aotearoa who experience barriers to participation as artists, performers, writers, audience members, and gallery and museum visitors. It does this by working in the disability, mental health and Deaf communities, and through a network of community arts organisations called creative spaces.
Through the Arts For All Network, it supports individuals and organisations committed to making the arts more accessible and inclusive. It also facilitates Taha Hotu, a Deaf and Disabled Artists’ Initiative supporting artists to create work, develop their creative practice and their careers.
It advises Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections on its arts programmes and activities, and advocates for the arts as a tool to support the rehabilitative process of prisoners and their reintegration back into the community on release.
Arts Access Aotearoa is the leading voice advocating for increased access to the arts. It does this my working with government agencies, arts organisations and community groups to drive change. It provides a national advisory and advocacy service, which includes an Info Hub on its website providing opportunities, information, resources and research findings.
Read about Arts Access Aotearoa's areas of work and what we do
Read about Arts Access Aotearoa in 2024
Vision
All people in Aotearoa can access and participate in the arts.
Purpose
Arts Access Aotearoa works in partnership to increase access to the arts for people in Aotearoa who experience barriers to participation.
Organisational tikanga | Enduring values
- Mōhiotanga - seeking understanding and awareness
- Rangatiratanga – respecting the mana of others
- Whanaungatanga – appreciating the value of relationships and partnerships
- Kotahitanga – working in harmony to achieve common purpose and shared vision
- Kaitiakitanga – service to others and nurturing leadership within others.
Tiriti statement
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of Aotearoa New Zealand. It defines the relationship between tangata whenua and the Crown, and provides a basis for all citizens to live and belong here.
At its core, Te Tiriti o Waitangi is about social justice, making it particularly relevant to the work of Arts Access Aotearoa. Te Tiriti provides a platform for recognising Māori needs and aspirations, ensuring Māori can enjoy equitable opportunities and participate actively, both as citizens and within the organisations they belong to.
- We acknowledge Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa and will give effect to Te Tiriti in our constitution, policies and practices.
- We recognise the status of Māori as tangata whenua of Aotearoa and will ensure that our organisational culture and work environment reflects Māori interests, aspirations and values.
- We are committed to upholding the articles and principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We work to uphold te tino rangatiratanga and mana motuhake o tangata Māori, and we stand against all forms of oppression.
At Arts Access Aotearoa, we:
- honour our story and honour the storyteller
- work to remove barriers to self-expression
- lead from the front: we do and not just say
- honour all people, which is at the heart of our kaupapa.
Equity statement
Arts Access Aotearoa's Equity Statement is also available in Easy Read and in NZSL.
Our goals
- Acessibility is embedded and sustainable in the arts sector.
- Deaf and disabled artists are an integral part of the arts sector, leading and shaping the artistic landscape.
- The creative spaces sector is sustainable and empowered.
- Increased high-quality art programmes are available in New Zealand prisons and Community Corrections.
- Rangatahi benefit from the delivery of high-quality art initiatives in youth justice residences.
