The following information is from the Christchurch City Council website.
Toi Ōtautahi/Christchurch Arts
The arts are important in strengthening the city and communities.
– A Strategy For The Arts
– What’s The Process
– Arts in Christchurch
– Toi Māori
– Arts in the rebuild
– Open Forum
A strategy for the arts
Alongside Creative New Zealand, ChristchurchNZ, the Rātā Foundation and other key supporters, the Council is now developing a new citywide strategy for the arts that maps out the steps we’re taking.
Our goal is to create a broad, inclusive strategy that covers all forms of arts and creativity in Ōtautahi Christchurch, and makes sure the city continues to value its creative side. The end result will be an innovative and exciting place to live, where our creativity helps us reach our potential.
The Council’s current Arts Policy and Strategy was last updated in 2001, and the Art in Public Places Policy in 2002. A lot has changed since then, especially the issues and opportunities that have come up after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes.
Along with our key supporters, we’re working with the arts community and education sector. It’s a collaborative process, and we want you to be involved.
What’s the Process?
– 2017
Sector advocacy for a new strategy for the arts in Ōtautahi Christchurch, with discussions between Creative New Zealand and Christchurch City Council.
– March 2018
Steering Group established to oversee the development of a co-created citywide strategy for the arts. Steering Group membership: (Rotating Chair) Christchurch City Council, Creative NZ, Rātā Foundation, ChristchurchNZ, University of Canterbury, Ara Institute, Word Chch, Arts Centre Trust.
– May 2018
Working Party established on recommendation of the Steering Group, to ensure a collaborative approach to the development of the strategy, and to develop a plan to provide broad sector engagement. Working Party membership: (Independent Chair – Huia Lambie) Christchurch City Council, CoCA, Ōtautahi Creative, RAD Collective, mana whenua representatives, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, Court Theatre, Arts Centre Trust.
– June 2018
Engagement Planning. The Working Party led development of an engagement plan to ensure opportunities for the sector to provide input for the strategy. Workshops were planned at different times and locations to discuss issues and opportunities for the future of the arts in Christchurch.
– July 2018
Arts sector workshops. Two workshops each were held at the XCHC and UC at the Arts Centre, and others held at CoCA, Te Kura Tawhito, and the Akaroa Museum. Attendees were asked to describe why arts are important to them and to Christchurch, and to discuss what the local art scene was like pre-quakes, how it is now, and what they’d like it to look like in 10 years. They were then asked to identify hand brakes and accelerators that would either slow down or speed up progress towards achieving the more creative place they’d like the city to become. All ideas were collated and common themes identified. An online option for providing input for those unable to attend workshops is available.
– August 2018
Open forum going in-depth on the themes that came up in the July workshops, and a Mana whenua workshop, focused on the same issues as the wider sector workshops, to ensure the views of mana whenua are included and incorporated into the draft strategy.
– September 2018
First draft of strategy developed. The Working Party will discuss all the feedback from the workshops and public forum, and help refine the key themes and key actions that will help achieve the goals. They will then oversee the development of the first draft of the strategy. Later that month, Working Party and Steering Group partners will workshop the first draft. The various members will then share the draft with the leadership of their organisations to ensure their ongoing support, and suggest any edits they think could strengthen the document.
– October 2018
Draft released for public feedback. Once agreement is reached on recommended edits, the Steering Group will recommend the draft be released online for public feedback for at least three weeks.
– November 2018
Public feedback collated. All feedback received from the community will be collated and considered by the Working Party to see how the feedback could be used to improve the various parts of the strategy document. The Steering Group partners will then consider the feedback and recommend any final amendments to the strategy. The Working Party will then make sure these recommended changes are made to strengthen the document.
– December 2018
The Steering Group partners will make a decision on endorsing the final strategy. Each partner organisation will make a decision according to their own governance arrangements.
Arts in Christchurch
Christchurch City Council is committed to achieving an enlivened and creative city, where the arts are recognised as being essential to cultural and social well-being.
| Pou hihiri Pou rarama Pou o te whakaaro Pou o te tangata Pou o te aroha Te Pou e here nei I a tatou Mauri ora ki a tatou Haumi e Hui e Taiki e |
May clarity be yours May understanding be yours through reflection through personal endeavour through respect the virtues which bind us as one may we be filled with wellbeing join gather unite |
The Arts Policy and Strategy aims to support the development of local artists, generate new opportunities for employment and artistic expression and participation, as well as improving the quality of the built environment through public arts.
Arts Advisors are available to provide advice and assistance to artists, arts organisations and the wider community, and are interested in fostering partnerships and collaborative projects.
Council provides a range of funding mechanisms to support arts and cultural projects, creative organisations and businesses, including the Creative Communities Scheme (managed on behalf of Creative New Zealand ), the Strengthening Communities Fund, the Creative Industries Support Fund, the Transitional City Projects Fund, and the Events and Festivals Fund.
Toi Māori
The Council is committed to local Māori arts practice and language development.
Māori arts celebrate our unique past and are making an invaluable contribution to the city’s rebuild.
Council has legislated responsibilities to Māori which includes ensuring there are opportunities for Māori to participate in public life.
Promoting and developing traditional and contemporary Māori arts practices and language in Ōtautahi Christchurch is an important component of this and is given effect through Council’s Arts Policy and Strategy.
Arts in the rebuild
Arts and culture have a major role to play in the rebuild and revitalisation of our city.
Creative life is being brought back to the central city with a number of anchor projects in the central city that will draw on the rich natural and cultural heritage of the city, and provide Christchurch with world-class facilities, including the Christchurch Art Gallery, Christchurch Town Hall, Performing Arts Precinct, and Central Library.
Council is also encouraging developers to enhance significant building work underway in the city through a hoarding rebate scheme.
Open Forum
We’re looking to create an environment where Ōtautahi Christchurch becomes known as city for artists – one that values creativity, and where the Treaty partnership is strong.
After a series of workshops and online contributions, we’ve consolidated some common themes, and we’d like your help to develop them further.
To do this we’ve developed four draft statements, or goals, to focus attention on the ways arts and creativity will benefit the city in the future:
– The arts are pivotal to telling our story, and to connecting us to our past and this place.
– The arts showcase a creative and innovative city.
– The arts bring life to the city.
– The arts make a real difference in people’s everyday lives.
We’ll be asking you two questions that relate to the goals and the things we can do to make them a reality:
– How could you (or your group) respond to help achieve each goal?
– How do you think partner agencies could respond to help achieve each goal?