Arts Strategy Planned For The Coromandel

Connecting and promoting Coromandel artists will be the focus of a workshop being developed for early next year and will lead into work on an Arts Strategy for the Coromandel.

Our Chief Executive David Hammond invited Creative Waikato Chief Executive Sarah Nathan to meet earlier this week to discuss opportunities and stronger promotion of local Coromandel artists.

This comes as Creative Waikato releases its Creative Facilities Plan this week, which focuses on the development of facilities around the Waikato.

"On the Coromandel we are really lucky to have community and public artwork throughout our District, created by some very talented local artists," says Mr Hammond.

"Ms Nathan also informed me that there are two real art hotspots in the Waikato - the Coromandel and Raglan - and Creative Waikato understands the need to capitalise on this so we can better support our local artists and also develop arts tourism.

Creative Waikato is now planning a workshop on the Coromandel for early 2015 to meet with arts groups from around our District to discuss how it can help support and develop an Arts Strategy for the Coromandel.

The timing is very good, as we've also been approached by the MERCURY BAY ART ESCAPE TRUST asking for Council support on an Arts Strategy," says Mr Hammond.

"An Arts Strategy will get arts communities together, co-ordinating and figuring out the best way we can support them as well as providing economic opportunities," says Mr Hammond.

The MERCURY BAY ART ESCAPE TRUST will approach and work with other Arts groups around the Coromandel including the representatives from the Tairua, Pauanui and Whangamata, the COROMANDEL ARTS TOUR and the THAMES SOCIETY OF ARTS people to investigate the best way to start developing an overarching Arts Strategy for the entire Coromandel.

The recommendation has been that right now the Trust starts by making a submission to our upcoming Long-Term Plan when it opens in early 2015," says Mr Hammond. "This is to ensure we can allocate staff resource and funding to help formulate an official policy, working with all the Arts groups around the district," says Mr Hammond. "Any Arts Strategy needs to be developed from the community up."

COUNCILLOR DIANE CONNORS will be leading the development of an Arts Strategy with support from our ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME MANAGER BEN DUNBAR-SMITH and COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICER MARLENE PERRY.

My focus is on ensuring Council has some over-arching strategy to support a wide variety of arts in the Coromandel," says Councillor Connors.

"I strongly believe that creativity adds to the quality of life - whether you participate or share the experience of it. We have such a wealth of talent living in our communities (some internationally renowned artists) - from singer/songwriters, sculptors, painters, potters, actors, dancers and body artists. I want us to not only acknowledge what we have but nurture it, celebrate it and showcase it," says Councillor Connors.

"There are both economic and social benefits to a vibrant arts sector and I envisage that an Arts Strategy will help council to identify how we can strengthen and support the arts in the Coromandel Peninsula. My passion is to encourage more events and encourage more outdoor art pieces," she says.

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