From the MTG: Take a seat and watch a movie in Hawke's Bay

MTG staff are looking forward to the school holidays. Photo / Supplied

Despite being in Covid-19 Delta level 2, MTG Hawke's Bay remains open and we continue to offer exhibitions, programmes and events as well as working on future activities.

Being blessed with a truly beautiful 330 seat theatre, we're comfortably able to host movie screenings while still meeting Covid requirements. So the MTG movie club continues, with the next trio of films on Sunday, October 17, having a French theme.

Just before that we have the Show Me Shorts Film Festival on Saturday, October 9, with a little bit of something for everyone including, of course, the whānau friendly selection.

We're pleased also to confirm that the New Zealand International Film Festival will be going ahead – albeit at a much later time than normal, starting on November 18 and running through to December 5.

I can't wait to see what the film lineup is this year and we should be hearing about that soon.

There are some great performances in the Century Theatre during the Hawke's Bay Arts Festival, including a range of musical styles, Peter Wells' thoughts as he underwent treatment for prostate cancer and contemplated his own mortality and a workshop on writing for children.

Tomorrow and Sunday are the last chances to see the psychological thriller Equus.

Tomorrow also marks the start of school holidays – it's hard to believe they're here again.

While, with current restrictions, we don't have our Drop-In-Zone, we do have the ever popular Activity Trail, along with a whole range of holiday programmes.

There should be something for everyone from creating a tukutuku panel, designing your own virtual museum, Pop Art, learning trick photography, creating clay tiles of your ancestors, making movies, wearable art, animation, watercolour painting and learning to draw anime style.

With 16 different programmes over eight days, there's bound to be something to spark creative interest among your whānau.

At the end of this month, October 31, Billy Apple® A Brand Looking for a product closes.

This is the last exhibition put together with Billy Apple and we're privileged to have this at MTG, so please ensure you take the opportunity to see this exhibition before it closes.

Sunday marks the start of Macawa ni Vosa Vakaviti - Fijian Language Week. With a theme of Noqu Vosa, Ai Vakadei ni Noqu Tiko Vinaka, which means 'my language provides stability to my wellbeing', it highlights the importance of language to identity and cultural wellbeing.

In challenging times such as these, cultural wellbeing is critical to provide strength and resilience. With the challenges being faced in Fiji at the moment my heart goes out to our Pacific Island neighbours.

Despite everything that's happened this year, your museum is open, full of relevant and interesting exhibitions along with lots of activities and programmes. Check out our website for more details of all the events mentioned, as well as our current range of exhibitions.

We hope to see you soon.

- Laura Vodanovich is MTG director