Get Creative Christchurch

12/05/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Watch This Space, Drows & Charles & Janine Williams
"The mural’s title, Mā Te Huruhuru Ka Rere Te Manu (Like a manu needs feathers to fly, it is whānau and community that carry us to success), reminds us that it is by equipping people with the necessary tools and support, they will be enabled to thrive and succeed. To be smokefree, the artists note, people need the support of their whānau and community, drawing necessary “emotional, mental and spiritual strength”. The design is built upon a central group of four tui congregating around a feeding bowl. Nestled close together, the group reminds us that “we are never standing alone”. By extension, the group is a reminder of our own decisions and their impact on our surrounding community."

01/05/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Chris Lynch, The Christchurch Art Show & Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre
The Christchurch Art Show
https://www.christchurchartshow.co.nz/
Saturday 2 May, 2026. 10am - 8pm
Sunday 3 May, 2026. 10am - 5pm

09/03/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
"...presentation by Fiona Conlon, Principal Research Advisor at Ara Poutama Aotearoa, called “Arts programmes in prisons: the desistance journey”.
The presentation featured the research findings of The Creative Arts and Cultural Wellbeing Prison Initiative, a partnership between Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage and Ara Poutama Aotearoa.
Delivered over three years from 2022/23 to 2024/2025, the Initiative supported 14 arts programmes in 17 prisons.
An evaluation of the Initiative showed strong evidence that arts programmes delivered in prisons contribute positively to the wellbeing, cultural identity and pro-social behaviour of participants."
https://artsaccess.org.nz/Arts%20News/High-praise-for-artwork-at-conference
👍 Arts Access Aotearoa

“High praise” for artwork at international corrections conference 🎨

Artwork created by 21 people with experience of incarceration received high praise from delegates at the inaugural International Research in Corrections Conference in Auckland earlier this month.

Arts Access Aotearoa organised a booth at the conference where visitors could view the work alongside two publications: Te Ara ki Runga – The Path Upwards and Wahine Inside. The display sparked strong interest from the more than 250 researchers, practitioners, policymakers and people with lived experience who attended the four-day event.

The booth was supervised by Neil Wallace, Kaiwhakahuri Hurihanga | Arts and Justice Advisor at Arts Access Aotearoa, alongside rāranga artist Deborah Phillips. Together they shared how creativity supports growth, discipline and the positive contributions people can make through the arts.

The conference created valuable opportunities to connect with international supporters of arts in corrections and to learn how different countries are supporting creative practice in justice settings.

📖 Read the full story here:
https://artsaccess.org.nz/Arts%20News/High-praise-for-artwork-at-conference

09/03/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
Christchurch City Council Workshop
Thursday 12 March 2026
Draft Toi Ōtautahi 2026-2036
The city's strategy for arts and creativity for review
"Key focus areas of the 2026-2036 strategy include: strengthening support for local artists A change to the strategy vision is recommended from:
'To be known as New Zealand’s best place to live and create, where the arts activate Ōtautahi Christchurch and creative exploration defines who we are', to:
'Ōtautahi Christchurch is New Zealand’s best place to live and be creative; where artistic talent is supported and where creative exploration is encouraged.'"
https://christchurch.infocouncil.biz/Open/2026/03/ISCC_20260312_AGN_11620_AT_WEB.htm

06/03/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Arts Access Aotearoa

👉👉A six-page article in the New Zealand Listener examines research providing evidence of the health and wellbeing benefits when we engage in the arts and creativity.

The article concludes with a statement from Carlos Coronel, brain researcher. “One message we have drawn from our study is that we need public policies to promote art and creativity as a therapy for health and wellbeing.”

Exactly! What do you think?

🔗🔗Read a short summary of the article, called "Art For health's sake".
https://artsaccess.org.nz/Arts%20Articles/Listener-article-highlights-art-for-your-health

ID: a collage of two images: 1. the cover of the Listener features "Art and the mind" as the cover story 2. MIX creative space musicians and artists at the opening of an exhibition in Lower Hutt


Paul Goldsmith Matt Doocey MP Simeon Brown MP
Toi Ora Live Art Trust MIX Ministry for Culture and Heritage

16/02/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Longworth Education

16/02/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Arts Access Aotearoa & Creative Spaces Network

👉👉Christchurch is home to at least ten creative spaces, providing access to the arts for a bunch of folk - including Deaf and disabled people, people with experience of mental distress and others who feel isolated.

🎉🎉One of these is The White Room Creative Space, an innovative and vibrant space fostering creativity, skill-sharing, new ideas and ways of expression.

🔗🔗We invite you to check out the creative spaces directory and find out about creative spaces in Canterbury and all other regions across New Zealand.

https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/Canterbury-Region

ID a collage of images of some of the many people who attend The White Room.



The White Room Creative Space

16/02/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Chris Lynch & Ōtautahi Christchurch

14/01/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū

https://www.lifeisajourney.co.nz/gcc/suttons-place/

https://lifeisajourney.co.nz/rur/suttons-place/

In 1963, Ōtautahi Christchurch artist Bill Sutton commissioned his friend Tom Taylor to design a house for him at 20 Templar Street, Richmond.

Sutton went on to live, work and entertain in this house until his death in 2000. It was then bought by curator and art historian Neil Roberts whose intention was to donate it to the citizens of Ōtautahi Christchurch.

This plan was upended when the 2010/2011 earthquakes left the house, though structurally undamaged, on the very edge of the Red Zone and set for demolition.

After a long and difficult campaign to save the house, ownership was transferred to Christchurch City Council, who now lease the property to the Sutton Heritage House and Garden Charitable Trust to manage on their behalf.

In 2018, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga recognised the importance of this building – its design, its history and the lush garden that surrounds it – by designating it as a Category One Historic Place.

Sutton House is now home to an artist’s residency, allowing practising artists to spend time living and working in a house designed specifically for that purpose – one that was occupied for over forty years by one of Waitaha Canterbury’s most distinguished artists.

Our current exhibition 'Sutton House' in the Anthony Harper Archive Lounge shows how Sutton House was designed, lived in, nearly demolished and then reborn as an artist’s residence.

Sutton House
On until 28 April 2026
Anthony Harper Archive Lounge
Free Entry

_______________________

Sutton House, c. 1975. Collection of the Robert and Barbara Stewert Library and Archives

09/01/2026

Identity | Well-being | Learning
👍 Jacobyikes