“From funny to heart breaking, the stories of people with cerebral palsy and those who advocate for them are told in a new verbatim play called Squeaky Wheel.” - RNZ, April 4th 2021 Listen to the full RNZ interview here. In 2013 I was in the NICU with my brand new 25-week old premature baby and received the news she had suffered a... Keep Reading
Now, more than ever Advocating for the importance of the arts (in all their many forms) matters now, more than ever, as the complex, far-reaching and potentially long-lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic unfold. It matters now, more than ever, as access to participate in the arts, as well as the capacity of the arts to contribute... Keep Reading
Moppy Mayhem! By Selina Tusitala Marsh Mophead is a story about having too-big hair. It’s a story about how I grew from being teased as ‘mophead’, ‘gollywog’ and ‘Pipi black-stockings’ at school, to becoming the first Pasifika New Zealand Poet Laureate. Mophead is my kryptonite story. What others framed as... Keep Reading
Feeling the need for a little extra motivation? Looking for some inspiration and refreshed learning? Then take the opportunity to connect with your peers around the world at this month's ITAC Think Tank. The theme for this session is: "Arts and Social Transformation in Latin America: Building Mental Health Resilience and Recovery Through... Keep Reading
Over the past few weeks during an unprecedented global pandemic the arts have made a profound contribution to our wellbeing. In our homes, garden sheds, workplaces and neighbourhoods, they have helped us to laugh, cry, make sense of our experience, cope with isolation and anxiety, and mobilise vital community support networks. A good deal... Keep Reading
Home Ground is a multi-disciplinary community arts initiative, for women in the Justice system. In the first half of this year, the Home Ground collective was running workshops in Arohata Women’s Prison, and had just finished a two month community based project in... Keep Reading
Te Ora Auaha’s website has a hub for research and resources related to Arts, health and well-being. New material is being made available regularly. Here is a sample of some recent additions we think are particularly relevant at this time. Keep Reading
Ōtautahi Creative Spaces wants a world where creativity is front and centre in mental health, and supports people with experience of mental distress to thrive through creativity. From Zoom calls to supplying a kete of art materials to artists, founder and director Kim Morton speaks to Creative New Zealand... Keep Reading
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
Professor Peter O’Connor is intent upon growing the connection between the arts and wellbeing in Aotearoa’s communities and schools. While he’s gaining a lot of support, the one thing still missing is government funding and leadership for those working in the sector. An international expert in applied theatre and a long-time proponent... Keep Reading
Can the arts and creativity help address significant national concerns about mental health, social inclusion, ageing populations, and social and cultural inequalities? These questions being asked by a range of stakeholders both in New Zealand and internationally, and are being pulled into sharp focus with New Zealand’s new Living Standards... Keep Reading
The ‘Out of the Box’ exhibition held at Studio One Toi Tū in Ponsonby, Auckland provided a window into the art room at Northland Region Corrections Facility (NRCF). The collection represented various media and genres, with a strong focus on mental health and well-being... Keep Reading
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