Kāpiti Creative Industries

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 artis...

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...

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’ * a...

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...

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...

With a perfect five out of five review score and more than 2,000 likes on their Facebook page, Artel Gallery + Store , comes highly recommended for a visit. Now based in Ōtaki, and literally brightening up the street front with stunning displays of highly skilled art and designer craft, I caught up with artist and manager, Maude Heath for a chat. Maude in her new 'office' space.  What made you establish Artel Gallery & Store in 2009?  Artel Gallery was established as an artist co-operative in a tiny shop at the Lindale Centre. I joined a year later, and over the next few years the co-op membership shifted and changed. I took it over as a commercial concern in 2014. What would be some stand out moments for you in the last ten years?  Discovering some wonderful artists and makers on the  Kāpiti  Coast. How do you think the visual arts, craft and design industries have evolved in Kapiti during your time at Artel?  T...

There are so many opportunities to participate in and support the upcoming Kāpiti Arts Trail: Opportunity 1  The perfect marriage is arts and hospitality combining forces all year round, but especially on November 2 & 3 and 9 & 10 this year, to welcome visitors to our district. If you are a business owner, wanting to provide something special to visitors of the annual Kāpiti Arts Trail , read on, and get in touch asap with Rosie Salas , Arts Advisor at Kāpiti Coast District Council.  David Owen at his studio in Raumati South. Photography by Kim Kobialko, Studio Reset.  Opportunity 2 If you craft object art and participate in any of the visual arts, you will already know that the closing date for applications for this year's Kāpiti Arts Trail is next Wednesday, 15 May. If you are keen to join a hub, several are available. Emerging and established artists are encouraged to apply . Contact Rosie Salas  d...