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More than 38 artists in latest Mahara Gallery exhibition

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People are continuing to create during the Covid-19 cristis and that is not only a huge comfort to the wider population, but downright inspirational. Psychologists have noted that creativity increases during a crisis , as the usual psychological barriers that stop people from being creative, fade into the background. The act of creativity is thought to be a defence against feeling helpless. Creativity is also the glue that binds us together, as Mahara Gallery director, Janet Bayly, knows only too well. I caught up with Janet the old fashioned way - by telephone, as well as online, to catch up on Mahara's current exhibition and redevelopment plans. The proposed new-look Mahara Gallery.  Tell us about the online exhibition re-framed//lockdown that Mahara has been working on. Is this a first for Mahara?  The first Mahara solely online show was done 11 years ago. More than a Craze , photographs of New Zealand’s early digital games with Melanie Swalwell from Flinders Uni
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Creating in a time of upheaval

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This is a poignant time in history where we know the world will never be the same again. The Covid-19 virus has delivered wave after wave of aftershock and it might not be an earthquake but the landscape is certainly shifting on a daily basis. Traditionally, those in the creative industries weather the storms better than most other industries with higher than average productivity and employment growth. Not so this time. The arts and creative industries have been devastated in a way that no one has ever seen before, on a global scale. It is peak time of year for the music industry and performing arts across Australasia. Last week, it was reported that more than 10,000 gigs had been cancelled in Australia. Here in Aotearoa, the NZ Music Industry Commission reports that more than half of the music industry's employment in live music is immediately affected with $3.2 million noted in lost revenue (only an initial figure). That's 'not only musicians and songwriters, but cr
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NZ Festival of Arts comes to Kāpiti

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I bet a high percentage of artists and creative practitioners had huts in various forms throughout their childhood. In some ways, creative studios are an evolution of such huts. In my primary school years I had a hay bale hut in winter, a corn hut and cherry tree hut in summer, and the quintessential blanket bunker hut on rainy days. In my teenage years, I was delighted to access a music studio 'hut' at school and now my own children, even as I write this blog, are deconstructing my lounge to make a hut 'for our kids.' Hut making is clearly a rite of passage. Little surprise then that members of the  Kāpiti Arts & Creative Industries group  were intrigued to explore a 'hut' designed by Kemi Niko & Co at the  NZ Festival of the Arts  launch in Kāpiti last year. Against the backdrop of Kāpiti Island Marine Reserve and Kāpiti Island, the hut played with shadow like a dancer creating shapes as the sun set. Designed from salvaged materials by artists Ke
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Measuring New Zealand's most Creative City

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New Zealand's most creative city is not just a marketing slogan. It is a measurable activity, and even though it is rather complex, Infometrics undertake the task every year in the form of the annual ' Creativity Measure .' Kāpiti consistently features in the top five - well ahead of other creative regions such as Nelson, Tauranga, and Christchurch, to name a few. But what does this actually mean? Why is it significant?  In October, this was hotly debated in our Facebook group page, and I promised to contact Infometrics on behalf of our group and they have very kindly answered our questions below. Grab a cuppa and read in bite sized chunks. In real terms, with close access to Wellington City and reduced travel times after Transmission Gully opens, our region could potentially be in a much stronger position than before to leverage our creative potential. So whilst measuring is important and useful for project and organisation funding for example, how we support each o
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Creative New Zealand workshop in Kāpiti

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Dear artists, creative practitioners & business owners, and supporters of those working in our arts and creative industries,  The Kāpiti Arts & Creative Industries cluster group in partnership with Creative New Zealand and with support from Kāpiti Coast District Council invites you to this rare workshop opportunity to discuss… How do we bring about higher and more sustainable incomes for those working in the arts and creative industries?  Earlier this year, research commissioned by Creative New Zealand and NZ On Air identified that the majority of creative professionals had difficulty making a sustainable living from their creative practice. A Profile of Creative Professionals calls for a new response. Creative New Zealand is seeking your feedback on six principles and action suggestions. The six principles are that artists and arts practitioners:  * feel their creative practice is valued and regarded as ‘real work’ * are remunerated fairly fo
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YOU ARE INVITED - SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS.

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Wednesday 11 September, 11:30am - 1pm, Te Newhanga Kapiti Community Centre, Paraparaumu. Let's get together and build on some of the online and individual discussions we have had over winter. Let's discuss ways that your creative practice can be strengthened, creative business pathways, any barriers you might be experiencing, ideas for how things can be better, opportunities you recommend, and together, we will capture it in a pl an. With the third largest creative workforce in NZ (3rd equal with Queenstown) are we doing enough to back your success? Here is a link to the Bay of Plenty plan (see their vision below): www.creativebop.org.nz/arts-strategy This is the first of two workshops. In this workshop, the first half, we will discuss the questions above. The second half, I have invited KCDC Economic Development Manager Darryn Grant and Senior ED Advisor Leanna Covacich from KCDC to join us and advise us on the opportunities that the refresh of the Kapiti Econom
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Vocational Reform - What You Need To Know.

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Vocational training, how it is valued, accessed, and delivered is starting to look completely different in New Zealand. The whole system is being overhauled and some are happy with the proposed changes and some are not. It's long overdue in my view, with some of these changes bringing us on par with how vocational training has evolved in other countries. A decade ago, I worked for a sector skills council in the UK, focused entirely on the arts and creative industries. It was a conduit between employers, industry organisations, education and training providers and government. It researched what skills employers needed (including sole traders), and then benchmarked this information against the range and quality of qualifications provided and at times, rewrote the national occupational standards (NOS) that underpinned qualifications. 'Fit for employers purpose' was the mantra otherwise the sector skills council could close their courses. Creative Apprenticeships were l
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