Arts For All Project

Engaging with local government around the country to promote its Arts For All project was high on Arts Access Aotearoa’s 2011 agenda, said Richard Benge, Executive Director, at the organisation’s annual general meeting last week.

Richard commented on the organisation’s partnership with Wellington City Council to encourage artists, arts organisations and venues to become more accessible to disabled audiences.

“Wellington City Council and its City Arts team have been very enthusiastic and supportive of our Arts For All project,” he said. “There’s a lot of work to be done but the willingness of arts practitioners and organisations to share resources, address issues and try new ideas is heartening.

“Using the Wellington model, we’ll be engaging with other local councils to promote access to the arts for all New Zealanders and work with arts organisations to help them address their access issues.”

Vital role of creative spaces

In his report, Richard also spoke about the vital role that creative spaces played in providing artistic opportunities for people with limited access to create and enjoy the arts.

“Many of these spaces contend with financial hardship and lack of resources. In 2011, Arts Access Aotearoa will work with a number of these spaces to develop their leadership skills, build their capacity and become more sustainable.”

Board Chair Susan D’Souza spoke about last year’s “wonderful” Big ‘A’ Awards ceremony, held in the Grand Hall of Parliament.

“I love these annual awards – the only national awards in New Zealand that celebrate the often unsung work of those who provide artistic opportunities to people with limited access.

“The 2010 awards ceremony was a warm and inspiring occasion. Along with the spine-chilling performances of the young men in Te Rakau Hua o Te Wao Tapu Trust, guests enjoyed the finale performance of award recipient Duncan Armstrong’s band and an exhibition of prison art, presented by The Learning Connexion.”

Inspiring inclusion

To conclude the annual general meeting, Glen McDonald, Co-ordinator of Vincents Art Workshop, and Vincents’ artist Fraser Hoffe spoke about its inclusive, open-door approach and the sense of community this inspires.

“Vincents has a life of its own and Glen is the life force,” Fraser said. “It’s great to get the emotional support of other artists at Vincents. For me, this is the real world and I feel privileged to be a part of it.”

Glen, who is also a trustee of Arts Access Aotearoa, spoke about Vincents and the importance of an inclusive society.

“Inclusion is healthy for all of us and for as long as I feel this needs to be said, I’ll continue to take these opportunities to say it,” she said. “People who attend Vincents include people with disabilities and people without disabilities such as tourists, young mothers with their children, students, university professors, refugees, youth at risk, retired people – anyone at all.

“What defines Vincents’ artists is that they are people who want to express their creativity – not that they have an illness or a disability. To me, and to us all at Vincents, inclusion is a no-brainer.”