Introducing...your representatives on our Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Arts Advisory Board

A fine group of passionate individuals have been appointed to promote and nurture participation in the arts here on the Coromandel. They are:

Terry Walker - Whangamata

Sarah Holden - Tairua/Pauanui

Ray Neumann - Thames

Paul Heffernan - Thames

Mapuna Turner - Haurkai Maori Trustboard

John Norris - Whangamata/South Eastern Coromandel Art Council

John Eaglen - Coromandel

Jane Parson - Mercury Bay

Jan Wright - Mercury Bay

Diane Connors - Elected member representative

Chris Stark - Coromandel Art Council

Our Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Advisory Board will help to make the creativity inherent in our communities more visible and accessible to all, with the delivery of goals based on workshops with local artists and the arts sector.

Mapuna Turner represents the Haurkai Maori Trust Board while our elected member representative is Diane Connors.

John Eaglan was endorsed by the Coromandel-Colville Community Board as the community representative for this area. John is active in the performing arts and has had various roles in the Friends of Opera, Opera Factory and WTS Coromandel as well as Theatrical Stage and Lighting Design, Visual and installation artist. Chris Stark has been appointed by the Coromandel Community Arts Council as their representative on the Advisory Board.

Sarah Holden is Tairua-Pauanui’s representative on the Board. Sarah owns the Little Gallery in the main street of Tairua, an exhibition space that supports local artists as well as charity events that contribute to the arts.

The Creative Arts Advisory Board appointments are Jan Wright and Jane Parsons for Mercury Bay.

In Thames, Paul Heffernan and Ray Neumann have taken up the challenge. Both are local artists who are active in the community with solid administrative experience.

Terry Walker is Whangamata's representative on the Advisory Board. Terry is involved with sculpture/structural art and enjoys all art mediums.

John Norris is the representative for the Whangamata/South Eastern Coromandel Art Council.

So far 11 of the 13 roles have been filled.

Fostering a more creative and vibrant Coromandel

How did we get to this point? We've met with Coromandel artists and art groups to develop a Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy, that sets aspirations for the arts sector and aims to lure and nurture new artists to our district while supporting existing artists and groups.

The Advisory Board will advance this recently adopted Strategy, seeking funding from local, regional and national sources.

Distributing funding from Creative New Zealand under the Creative Communities Scheme is another responsibility of the Board.

Want to read more?

Community-led arts groups voiced that an arts strategy was needed - to develop, promote and sustain local artists and arts activities.

What did the Strategy tell us?

'The creativity inherent in our communities is not as readily visible or accessible as the beauty of the landscape or the abundance of natural recreational activities, although it reflects the same organic lifestyle and sense of freedom...'

Read more when you click to View the full Strategy

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