State of the arts: Creative Coromandel holds review hui

Jan Wright (left), Hillary Falconer (centre) and Fiona Cameron (right) from Creative Coromandel at Thames Arts Mix & Mingle.

In 2015 artists around the Coromandel Peninsula gathered to put forward ideas of what was needed to support creativity in their region and how the arts and creativity could help the district as a whole.

These community consultations resulted in the Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy being adopted by Thames Coromandel District Council (TCDC), and the formation of the Creative Coromandel He Mana Toi Moehau Trust.

Creative Coromandel is an independent charitable trust of volunteer representatives from various arts media in our five communities throughout the district and provides support and advocacy for the creative sector.

The trust acknowledges changes in our district over the last seven years and wants to reach out to check the relevance of their guiding Strategy and make sure they are moving in the right direction to support and enhance the Coromandel arts community.

Creative Coromandel will be holding six hui this month, in Thames, Coromandel, Kuaotunu, Whitianga, Tairua and Whangamatā, open to anyone interested in the arts and creativity, to review the existing strategy and measure it against the current needs and aspirations of their community.

Participants will be asked their views on what the priorities should be for support by Creative Coromandel, TCDC or other relevant organisations as well as possible ways these priorities could be addressed.

Information gathered will be collated and incorporated into a reviewed strategy document in conjunction with Creative Coromandel and TCDC, which will then form a road map for future support.

Details on the hui and also how to participate in the strategy review if you are unable to attend, can be found on the Creative Coromandel website https://creativecoromandel.co.nz/

The series of hui begins in Thames on Tuesday 14 from 1-4pm at the Grahamstown Bar and Diner, followed by Coromandel Wednesday 15th February at the Coromandel Citizens Hall starting at 1pm.

Tairua-Pāuanui is 21st February, 1pm - 4pm at the Tairua Community Hall Annex

Whangamatā is 22nd February, 9am - 12pm at the Whangamata Club

Kuaotunu is 26th February, 2pm - 4pm at the Kuaotunu Hall

Whitianga is 27th February, 9am - 12pm at the Mercury Bay Community Board Room in the TCDC buildings.

For more information, please contact Karen Moffatt-McLeod, Creative Coromandel/ He Mana Toi Moehau Trust at info@creativecoromandel.co.nz.