Artists attend Maori art strategy roadshow in Hastings

Creative NZ deputy chairwoman Caren Rangi at a Creative NZ roadshow in Hastings. Photo / Supplied

The Maori arts community in Hawke's Bay has come together to help shape a strategy that will carve a path to help advance Maori arts across the nation.

Creative New Zealand this week held a roadshow at Te Tai whenua O Heretaunga in Hastings as part of efforts to formulate a Maori arts strategy for New Zealand.

Creative NZ deputy chairwoman Caren Rangi said about 30 people attended the Hastings roadshow, representing artists as well as people involved in supporting and teaching arts, and in funding the arts.

"Creative New Zealand is the arts funder for New Zealand, this is to help develop the Maori arts strategy created by the Maori Arts Council. This is the council saying to the wider arts centre, tell us what your aspirations are, and what's important to you."

Several recurring themes had been brought up by those attending the roadshow.

Those included ideas on how Hawke's Bay would be represented and what the make-up and size of the overall arts sector should look like.

"This is roadshow number 16 out of 24 and it's really good for us to hear, first hand, the aspirations of Maori artists and the Maori arts community."

Creative New Zealand Maori strategy and partnerships senior manager Paula Cuff said the end strategy would be focused on enhancing support for Maori arts and working with Government and others to support, nurture and grow Maori arts.

"In developing a Nga Toi Maori strategy that can best support our artists, it's essential that we listen to the aspirations Māori have for Ngā Toi Māori, as well as the challenges faced by artists and arts organisations."

The roadshow intended to further develop Creative New Zealand's understanding of how the regional landscape for Maori arts and culture impacts social, cultural, economic, and environmental well-being.

"We know it's important to engage kanohi ki te kanohi (face-to-face), so we're taking to the road and visiting artists in their own rohe."

Findings from the meetings would be presented to representatives from each region later in the year, before the strategy is rolled out in May or June.