We are a national network and resource for anyone interested in the contribution of the arts to health and wellbeing.
Our vision is for a flourishing Aotearoa New Zealand through the arts.
School principals want to "bring the arts back" into classrooms, saying in a post Covid-19 society education needs to be different to meet the needs of students facing greater uncertainty in daily and working life.
A project to support primary school teachers with a rich, arts-based set of resources when they return to school next week has been developed by a team at the University of Auckland. Led by Professor Peter O’Connor in the Faculty of Education and Social Work, Te Rito Toi provides detailed lesson plans and classroom activities... Keep Reading
Professor Peter O’Connor has long been an advocate of art's importance in healing after trauma. As the world is gripped by the effects of a pandemic, The Big Idea asked O'Connor, based at the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Education and Social Work, to give us his views on the role the arts may step into post-COVID-19.
The visual arts offer us all the opportunity to exercise for a creative life. Taking inspiration from the thinking and making skills of artists, interacting with the visual arts enables us to tap into skills important to us all. But what are the skills to focus on when we look at and make art? How are they transferable to other aspects of our... Keep Reading
In these uncertain times, how do teachers support students to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic and give them the tools to navigate the challenges that could come once the... Keep Reading
Kia ora koutou, creative space leaders and colleagues. As creative space leaders, we know that the health-giving values of social connection and inclusive community, nurtured through art-making in the company of others, are vital to the wellbeing of our artists. Keep Reading
The highlight of my working year is the semester I spend tutoring on the Creative Process course at the University of Auckland. It is a general education course, so my students come from all across the University and so bring with them many different lenses to see creativity... Keep Reading
A programme designed by and for its participants is using the arts and creativity to address the challenges faced by women in New Zealand’s justice system and their whānau. Keep Reading
Hon Carmel Sepuloni has asked officials from the Ministry for Arts, Culture and Heritage and the Office for Disability Issues to work on developing an Arts and Wellbeing Strategy, with work due to commence this year. The Minister has said that officials will stay in touch with Te Ora Auaha throughout the process. Keep Reading
Children in arts-rich schools do significantly better at the basics than at schools which focus on measuring literacy and numeracy outcomes., but the arts fell out of favour. The Newsroom article looks at the "near death" of arts in school, the governments disregard for the arts the cost for all young New Zealander. Keep Reading
Radio New Zealand
The Mental Health and Addictions Inquiry report recently called for fresh approaches to community wellbeing. A new nationwide network involving arts organizations argues that creativity must be one of those approaches. This Wednesday sees the official launch of Te Ora Auaha: Creative Wellbeing Alliance Aotearoa. The network includes individuals, groups and organizations across the arts, health, youth, social and education sectors. Lynn Freeman speaks to two enthusiastic members of the new network. Borni Te Rongopai Tukiwaho is from Te Pou Theatre and a member of the National Maori Mental Health Advisory Panel (HPA).
Te Ora Auaha
Arts Access Aotearoa