The arts in Tairāwhiti were under-resourced and lacked coordination/collaboration, he said. Music groups existed in isolated silos and struggled with administration support.
Monteith has the credentials to lead the project as the owner of Smash Palace, a musician and former station manager of TRN. He has been a Creative Communities adviser since 2013 and was the commercial manager of Tourism Eastland from 2011-2015.
It all started in 2019 with a hui to discuss the need for a Tairāwhiti music strategy with a good turn-out of people. This provided the impetus for Monteith to delve deeper and with help from the Ministry of Culture and Heritage he embarked on his research project.
Over the past year more than 500 musicians, bands, music groups and audience members have taken the time to tell him about their experience of making and enjoying music in Tairāwhiti.
This information is being used to map the music sector here, develop a music strategy , and attract the resources needed to help artists fulfil their creative potential.
The survey found a large number of high quality musicians for a city the size of Gisborne.
Another key finding was that music improves wellbeing as a way of expression and connecting with others.
From an artist perspective kapa haka was identified as a nursery for contemporary music with many young people participating in it through their schools and communities.
On average, people went to a live music gig once every couple of months.
Transport was identified as a barrier. It was found that public transport and taxis in Gisborne hinder the growth of both the hospitality industry and music/arts support in the region. The research also showed a need for a local professional recording facility, more rehearsal space, more gigs and help with publicity.
A proposal for a draft strategy has been made with the goal of creating a thriving, successful creative sector. This would include an incorporated society — a not-for-profit that would be membership-based. Monteith believes this would provide the foundation for success in the music sector.
A Network of Gisborne Artists (NGA) would be set up within this society, which would serve three functions — commercial and legal, finance and administration and communications.
The second stage would be setting up a trust which would be owned by the society and consist of three trustees and a development officer.
This would be the Gisborne Musicians Network which already exists online with around 1000 members, offering support, advocacy and mentoring and education for groups and individuals. A loyalty and rewards programme could be implemented for both audience and artists. The organisation would be made up of members who would pay an annual subscription.
Finally there would be a commercial brand which could be made up of a recording label, booking agency, artist management, tour management, merchandising, publishing and licensing, studios and rehearsal space. It would be an artist-owned agency.
There would also be a need to keep measuring the quality and quantity of the organisation’s activities, Monteith says.
A commercial brand could be developed which would be a music business hub with the proposed name YeahNga.
The bigger goal would be to have all music and arts administration under one roof including film, dance, visual arts and object arts, encouraging collaboration between the various bodies.
It has taken a lot of work to get to this point and now he needs people to support it.
“Imagine what could be possible if we all worked together,” he says.
To further develop the strategy feedback is needed which can be done online by going to www.whatmusicmeanstome.nz. People can watch the presentation and are invited to provide feedback by answering a few simple questions.
If there is enough support for the strategy, the next step would be applying for funding for a feasibility study and pulling the inaugural board together.
