Keeping creativity flowing in Tararua with crucial funding

Creative Communities chairperson Ataneta Paewai and secretary Carole Wilton by their poster featuring groups they have helped and the application form people need to apply for funding.

A busy village hall in Woodville was the hub of a Tararua district Creative Communities expo where the organisation launched a funding round seeking applications from local arts-based groups.

It showcased a number of organisations which have benefitted in the last year ranging from the Dannevirke Fantasy Cave committee to the Tararua schools kapa haka festival, the Woodville Pool Committee to the Morepork Mountain Trust.

Tania Morrison with pottery made in a workshop she ran and Tania Emslie representing both the Dannevirke Pipe Band and Rinitawa Galleries.

Some of the funding has promoted the learning of craft skills, Tania Morrison running a six-week pottery class, and the Dannevirke Pipe Band providing drumming tuition for keen youngsters.

The Morepork Mountain Foundation had a whole range of skills programmes on display from writing courses to screen printing and genealogical crafts.

The Woodville Pool Committee (from left Ian Daily, Malcolm Stewart, Turia Brackenbury) surrounded by pictures paid for by Creative Communities.

Woodville’s hard-working committee developing the local pool had a list of recent achievements and spectacular posters featuring the history of New Zealand’s oldest continuously running pool still on its own site - paid for by Creative Communities.

Dannevirke Theatre Company treasurer Michelle Walker and secretary Elijah Graham with displays of past shows part funded for advertising and programmes.

There were other displays showing the versatility of the fund.

It says: “If you have an arts-based project you would like some funding assistance with you can pick up a funding application and talk with the assessment committee”.

Forms are available from any Tararua District Council service centre and applications close on April 30.

Dave Murdoch is a part-time photo-journalist based in Dannevirke. For the last 11 years he has covered any community story telling good news about the district.