Skill sharing part of community arts project

Coral Porter is a young Maori artist who is passionate about photography. She is passing on this passion to children at South Wellington Intermediate School as part of Eko Theatre's Southern Corridor Project in two workshops on Friday 20th November and Friday 27th November.

Ten students of Maori and Somali descent from SWIS have received disposable cameras. The resulting images will be printed digitally and Coral will be on hand to give advice about photography to these 11 and 12 year olds. Coral is being mentored in this role by the projects director Heather Timms and by Massey University Lecturer Helen Mitchell and she will also work beside three Massey Photography students.

“Accessing opportunities and networks within the arts can be difficult for many within our community. Building meaningful relationships between skilled and experienced artists and aspiring young people in the community provides opportunities for skill development and diverse perspectives to be heard, through this Eko Theatre is seeking to build a more inclusive artistic culture in New Zealand” Heather Timms - Director

The Southern Corridor Project includes a range of events which bring people together around the central theme of identity and connection to land. All of the events will feed into a theatrical work and two multi media installations at the end of 2010 enabling a professional artistic platform to express a range of perspectives from the Wellington Community. For this pilot project Eko Theatre is working within communities in the Southern Wellington suburbs of Newtown, Berhampore and Island Bay.

“It is a pleasure to bring together the enthusiasm of the children with the passion, technical and art knowledge of the photographers” Lisa Maule – Producer

This photography at SWIS weaves together the Eko Theatre philosophy of supporting learning and using different art mediums to have community discussion. These ten disposable cameras are the first of 50 that will be distributed as part of the Southern Corridor Project.

Heather Timms, the founding director of Eko Theatre, has more than 20 years’ experience as a director of participatory theatre.

Arts Access Aotearoa has acted as an umbrella organisation, enabling Eko Theatre to approach various agencies for funding or in-kind support. Jan Hinde, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, says the Southern Corridor Project will provide access to high-quality arts activities in diverse Wellington communities.

The Southern Corridor Project is supported by J R McKenzie Trust, Creative New Zealand, Wellington City Council.

The disposable camera initiative is supported by Image Lab
Visit Eko Theatre’s website for more information.

http://sites.google.com/site/theatreeko/home/the-southern-corridor-project

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