Arts Participation New Zealand
Charitable Trust

Introduction

Everyone has a right to enjoy in the arts. This is one of the rights included in the Declaration of Human Rights.

According to Creative New Zealand participation in the arts surveys 80% of New Zealanders participate in the arts.

This participation is by audience and by engagement. For some it is just passive listening to music or watching television, but for many others it involves belonging to a choir, a band, doing embroidery or flower arranging, painting, writing, dancing and playing an instrument. Arts Participation New Zealand is a Charitable Trust made up of members of the Arts Assembly, the Federation of Community Arts Councils, Community Art Workers Network.

The importance of participation in the arts in recognised in the Arts Council of New Zealand Act 1994 which stressed that the purpose of the act was for all New Zealanders.

The purpose of the Act [Arts Council of New Zealand Act] is to encourage, promote, and support the arts in New Zealand for the benefit of all New Zealanders.Its principals include:

(a) Shall recognise the cultural diversity of the people of New Zealand; and
(b) Shall recognise in the arts the role of Maori as tangata whenua; and
(c) Shall recognise the arts of the Pacific Islands' peoples of New Zealand; and
(d) Shall recognise and uphold the following principles:

(i) Participation, by supporting initiatives which encourage participation in the arts:
(ii) Access, by supporting the availability of projects of merit to communities or sections of the population that would otherwise not have access to them
(iii) Excellence and innovation, by supporting activities of artistic and cultural significance which develop the creative potential of artists and art forms:
(iv) Professionalism, by maintaining and developing a professional arts infrastructure, both at national and community levels:
(v) Advocacy, by promoting New Zealand's arts and artists locally, nationally, and internationally

Arts Participation New Zealand's Vision

A vibrant, creative and healthy society fostered by innovation plus excellent community and participatory arts organisations.

Arts Participation New Zealand's Objectives

• To promote the profile, importance and significance of participation in the arts for all New Zealanders
• To provide information, research, advice and advocacy to enable policymakers to make evidence-based decisions and policy.
• To assist, develop and support professional, innovative and excellent participatory and community arts organisations in New Zealand
• To build social capital through participation in the arts in communities throughout New Zealand
• To work towards the cultural wellbeing purpose of New Zealand territorial local authorities.

Arts Participation New Zealand's Outcome

• Recognition of participation in the arts as being a significant part of New Zealand's cultural and economic wellbeing;
• People celebrating their cultures and identities through participating in the arts;
• New Zealanders expressing their creativity, innovation and excellence through participation in the arts throughout New Zealand;
• Increased participation in the arts by all New Zealanders

Arts Participation New Zealand's Statement of intent

Arts Participation New Zealand will work to increase professionalism, innovation and excellence in organisations involved in participation and community arts:

This will be done through the following strategies:

• Information
• Education and Advice
• Research
• Advocacy
• Publication

PEOPLE

Glen Wiggs LLB (Chair)
Director International Consultancy in Advertising Standards and Advertising Ethics, working in both New Zealand and Brisbane. Former Executive Director, Advertising Standards Authority, spent nine years on Central Regional Arts Council, six as Chairman. Former executive member Craft Council and Former Chair Arts Access Aotearoa. Secretary of the Federation of Community Arts Councils Inc. Solicitor.

Ewen Coleman
Office Manager, Wellington School of Medicine and Health Sciences; founding member and current President, NZ Arts Assembly; long time theatre practitioner and administrator; ex-President NZ Theatre Federation; Dominion Post Theatre Reviewer; long involvement with Community Arts Councils, was Chairman of Wellington Community Arts Council for 4 years.

Graham Hoffman
Formerly National Secretary and General Manager to New Zealand Choral Federation Te Kotahitanga Manu Reo o Aotearoa for 14 years. Co Director of Sing Aotearoa Festival with Greg Tata, 1990 & 1993 and Ngapo Wehi, 1997 & 2000 . Asia South Pacific member of the International Federation for Choral Music (IFCM). International juror in group singing. Concurrently Vice President New Zealand Arts Assembly. Now a Cultural Consultant. Represented Arts Participation New Zealand Trust at the 2006 World Symposium on Arts and Culture.

Monica Stockdale (Ngati Kahungunu)
Former Board Member Arts Access Aotearoa, extensive involvement in Maori art and crafts. Manager of Compulsive Gambling Association. Formerly Manager Community Health, Health Care Hawkes Bay and former Director of Maori Unit at Queen Mary Hospital, Hanmer Springs.

Ann Packer BA
Freelance writer and author with special interest in the arts and oral history, practising quilter. Formerly community arts adviser with Wellington Community Arts Council (nine years) and on staff of New Zealand Festivals 1994, 1996, 1998.

Contact Us

Arts Participation New Zealand
PO Box 490
Waikanae
New Zealand

Email: info@artsparticipation.org.nz