"Creative Northland and Vodafone are very interested in what we are doing. Hopefully we can get more funding so we can get into more schools," he said.
One Off Customs has also organised 'I'm Country', a graffiti tour planned for January, which will take him and his 3G crew to Te Kao, Kerikeri, Moerewa, the Hokianga and Kaitaia, where more walls will be decorated. Each mural will be representative of the local areas, most with landscape themes.
"We want to use our art form to encourage and empower our communities," Isaac added.
All three businesses have been fundraising for the tour, with regular sausage sizzles and cake stalls at Kaitaia's Saturday market.
Grind Studios will support it with dance crews and Sik Musik with musicians. The goal is to raise $3000, with $500 in the bank so far.
Isaac said the collaboration was working well.
"We all share the same interests, hip-hop and youth culture. We all have a desire to empower youth, identify their strengths and help them any way we can," he said.
Dougal and Carolyn Stott's performing arts centre Grind Studios offer classes every day of the week, ranging from vocal to drama and dance, employing six Far North-based tutors, Carolyn teaching performing arts and singing. Both are trained primary school teachers, Carolyn holding qualifications in speech and drama with six years' private drama teaching behind her.
"The focus is on having fun and the children enjoying themselves," she said.
The couple moved north (where Dougal has family connections) three years ago.
"All our five children were attending performing arts classes when we lived in Christchurch, and when we moved up here we found there wasn't anything for them to do so we thought we'd start something, not only for our kids but for the whole community," Carolyn said.
"We want to provide something for young people, provide opportunities for them. A one-hour class costs $5; we want them to be affordable for families up here."
Grind Studios had been approached by artists in Whangarei and Auckland who were keen to stage workshops in Kaitaia, which would begin next year.
"We'd like to think we can help our students take it to the next step, to see the bigger picture," Carolyn said, adding that a good relationship had been established with Auckland's world championship Palace Dance Studio, and two of Grind Studio's younger tutors were hoping to audition for the Palace dance crew next year.
"Palace Studios have given us heaps of support," Dougal said.
"I think there is more talent in this area than anywhere else in New Zealand.
"And these kids don't see it as talent, it's just normal to them, We are trying to help them realise their talent and to take it further.
"The collaboration works because we have shared outcomes," he added.
"We are all very family-focused, with 16 kids between all three of us.
"Once a month we sit down for dinner together and brainstorm about ideas. What's cool about it is that we have no trouble engaging with young people; the mediums we work with are relevant youth mediums. We do this because we love it, it is a passion project. We are using our collaboration and working together to grow a town.
"And we are successful because we collaborate and communicate, that's what it's all about, growing life skills and experiences for our young people through these mediums.
"Teaching them about perseverance, navigating barriers in your life. We also employ two 17-year-olds as tutors. We see these two as role models to our students and to other businesses in town, showing them that it can be done. All you need to do is give young people structure and support."
Damien Rice's Sik Musik Productions offers music tutoring (drums, bass, guitar, keyboards, vocals and DJ skills), the six tutors he employs come from 1814, Ravenous, Tomorrow People, DJ Venom and others. He came on board thanks to knowing Isaac at school, and well as shared goals.
"To get people off the street, that's my passion, along with music," he said. "I want to expose all the talent up here in the North. There's a lot of talent up here that hasn't been exposed.
"People don't get the opportunities, and that is what we trying to give them. I love working alongside these guys and helping the community as much as possible. Anything we three do, we all help each other together."
