Creative Spaces Network

Creative Spaces Network The Creative Spaces Network, facilitated by Arts Access Aotearoa, is a hub for creative spaces in Aotearoa.

Participants, including Deaf or disabled people, and those who experience mental distress or cultural isolation, can explore their creativity.

Wohoo, Vincents Art Workshop, featured in Arts Access Aotearoa’s Annual Report 2025! A big thanks to our long-time desig...
12/06/2026

Wohoo, Vincents Art Workshop, featured in Arts Access Aotearoa’s Annual Report 2025!

A big thanks to our long-time designer Craig Christensen of Graphic Solutions, who has been designing Arts Access Aotearoa’s publications and banners for the past 15 years.

Thank you, Craig, for all your mahi for Arts Access Aotearoa, including the latest – our Annual Report 2025, which is more than an annual report. It captures our first 30 years and highlights the four programmes that deliver our accessibility, equity and inclusion initiatives. This includes the Creative Spaces Network.

You can download our report:
https://artsaccess.org.nz/annual-report-2025

ID: a double-page spread in our Annual Report, called Shifting the Stream for creative spaces: At left, two images from the Auckland forum plus text and statistics. At right, a large photo of Vincents’ 40th birthday celebrations, some text and a link to the story on our website.

Wake up with the community and dance into the day ✨🌅👉🏽👉🏽Join us for Keep the Community Glowing, a special dawn gathering...
11/06/2026

Wake up with the community and dance into the day ✨🌅

👉🏽👉🏽Join us for Keep the Community Glowing, a special dawn gathering filled with music, connection, and good company. Come as you are (PJs absolutely welcome!) and help support a good cause before the day even begins.

📅 Friday 3 July 2026
🕕 6:30 – 9:00am
📍 277 Trafalgar Street, Nelson

Entry is by paper note donation, with all proceeds helping to keep our doors open on Bridge Street.

Let’s keep the community glowing, together. 💛

Presented by Cultural Conversations and Te Ramaroa.
🔗 🔗 read more at https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/Cultural-Conversations-Dawn-Rave-fundraiser

👉🏽👉🏽Help keep the community glowing with the ancient tradition of gathering to share ideas, stories and art. Whether thr...
10/06/2026

👉🏽👉🏽Help keep the community glowing with the ancient tradition of gathering to share ideas, stories and art. Whether through spoken word, poetry, music, storytelling or acting, Cultural Conversations is a space where creativity and culture come to life.

🖼️ 🎨 🖌️ 🎧 This event is open to artists, storytellers, musicians and anyone who appreciates cultural expression. Whether you want to perform, share your work or simply listen, your presence adds to the experience and your ticket purchase helps to keep the community glowing.

📆 Sun 28 Jun 2026
🕰️ 04:30 pm - 6:30pm
📍 The Suter Art Gallery
208 Bridge Street, Nelson
Nelson

👉🏽👉🏽Mandy Patmore shared inspiring stories about the rangatahi supported through Kākano Youth Arts Collective, highlight...
08/06/2026

👉🏽👉🏽Mandy Patmore shared inspiring stories about the rangatahi supported through Kākano Youth Arts Collective, highlighting the transformative power of creativity, connection, and opportunity. Through her work, Mandy helps young people—particularly those facing barriers and limited opportunities—develop their artistic talents and transition into meaningful pathways in the creative sector.

As a key speaker at our Shifting the Stream Auckland event last year, Mandy spoke passionately about the realities facing community arts organisations and the young people they support. Her insights reinforced why investment in grassroots creative spaces is so important.

Why Shifting the Stream Matters

For Mandy and organisations like Kākano Youth Arts Collective, Shifting the Stream is about creating funding systems that recognise the long-term value of community-led arts work.

Many creative spaces support young people facing significant barriers, providing mentorship, belonging, confidence, skills development, and pathways into employment. Yet this work is often underfunded despite its proven impact. Shifting the Stream highlights the need for more equitable and sustainable investment in grassroots organisations that are deeply connected to their communities.

By funding spaces like Kākano, we invest in the potential of rangatahi, ensuring they have opportunities to develop their creative talents, build meaningful careers, and contribute positively to their communities. It is about shifting resources towards those doing transformative work on the ground and creating a creative sector where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

🔗 🔗 read more about Shifting the stream here: https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/both-and-thinking-to-change-the-funding-landscape

if you’ve received an invitation to be apart of Shifting the stream Christchurch make sure to rsvp! if you’re a South island organisation that would like to come reach out to us!

👉🏽👉🏽Over the years, Arts Access Aotearoa has worked with Exult to run workshops about leadership, governance and fundrai...
02/06/2026

👉🏽👉🏽Over the years, Arts Access Aotearoa has worked with Exult to run workshops about leadership, governance and fundraising. And now, we’re featured in its great magazine called “Tonic”.

Megan Thorn, Managing Director, led a workshop at Ngā Wāhi Auaha Creative Spaces Conference 2024, facilitated by Arts Access Aotearoa.

Read more about Megan’s workshop and download some documents on building connections with potential funders and business partners:

🔗 🔗: https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/Connecting%20with%20business

📸 ID: A collage of the cover and back cover of “Tonic”
1. Suzanne Cowan and Rodney Bell perform in the development of “Rodney Bell and Guests”, a new work in progress by Movement of the Human Photo: Andi Crown
2/Artists from Te Mana Tangata and Artists in the Making in the Coromandel, celebrate the impact of art, with artists holding signs such as “Art is good” and “Make peace, make art”.

A huge congratulations to Tanya from our friends at Cultural Conversations Nelson on being shortlisted in the Top 15 for...
02/06/2026

A huge congratulations to Tanya from our friends at Cultural Conversations Nelson on being shortlisted in the Top 15 for the Community Leadership Award at the Robert Walters New Zealand Leadership Awards 2026. 🎉

At Arts Access Aotearoa / Creative Spaces Network, we know how important strong community leadership is in creating spaces where people can connect, belong, and thrive. Tanya’s work is a shining example of this. Through Cultural Conversations Nelson, she has brought people together across cultures and communities, creating opportunities for understanding, connection and collective growth.

This recognition reflects the dedication, vision, and care Tanya brings to her mahi every day. We are thrilled to see her leadership acknowledged on a national stage and wish her all the best for the next round.

Congratulations, Tanya, your work continues to inspire communities across Aotearoa. ❤️

Aotearoa

🌊 Introducing Shifting the Stream ChristchurchBuilding on the kōrero from last year, we’re continuing the conversation a...
28/05/2026

🌊 Introducing Shifting the Stream Christchurch

Building on the kōrero from last year, we’re continuing the conversation around funding, equity and the future of creative spaces in Aotearoa.

Last year’s discussions challenged us to think differently about how creative spaces are valued and resourced. As Dr Molly Mullen shared “Creative spaces are specialists in both+and practice.” Spaces that hold creativity and wellbeing, artistic practice and community impact, often sit between traditional funding categories.

Shifting the Stream creates space to explore what more equitable and sustainable investment can look like, bringing together funders, practitioners and creative space leaders to rethink systems and strengthen relationships.

Read reflections from last year’s event here: 🔗 🔗
https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/both-and-thinking-to-change-the-funding-landscape

If you’re a creative space that has received an invitation, we encourage you to register and join the conversation. Let’s keep shifting the stream together.

Tess Kiernan is a member of Silver Noodle Soup. She’s acting in its upcoming production, “The Old Cold Hearts Club”, on ...
22/05/2026

Tess Kiernan is a member of Silver Noodle Soup. She’s acting in its upcoming production, “The Old Cold Hearts Club”, on at the Hannah Playhouse in Wellington from 11–18 April.

Tess loves acting, meeting new people and hanging out with the Silver Noodle Soup crew. “I like going on the stage and saying my lines, and I like that my character has some swear words. It can be fun to act a character who is nasty.”

🔗🔗Read more about Tess and the other actors in “The Old Cold Hearts Club”.
https://artsaccess.org.nz/Arts%20Articles/Silver-Noodle-Soup-to-present-The-Old-Cold-Hearts-Club


Silver Noodle Soup Film and Theatre Company

ID: Tutors and actors read through the play script during rehearsal

Watch out for Auckland’s Glass Ceiling Community Theatre Company, performing “The Village of Twelve Nights” from 21 to 2...
22/05/2026

Watch out for Auckland’s Glass Ceiling Community Theatre Company, performing “The Village of Twelve Nights” from 21 to 23 May at the Freemans Bay Community Centre.

Described as a show “packed with live music, dance and comedy”, the story follows four families preparing for a royal coronation – until the village animals suddenly leave in protest, throwing celebrations into chaos.

For more info and booking details:
https://creativespacesnetwork.org.nz/Events/Inclusive-theatre-The-Village-of--Twelve-Nights

ID: a promotional poster advertising the show and including a photo of the performers, including a performer in a blue dress doing the splits with hands raised high.

Glass Ceiling Arts Collective

👉👉New research from University College London has found that engaging in arts and culture may actually slow the pace of ...
12/05/2026

👉👉New research from University College London has found that engaging in arts and culture may actually slow the pace of biological ageing. 🎨🎶

“Arts and cultural engagement should be recognised as a health-promoting behaviour in a similar way to exercise.”

The study found people who regularly participated in creative activities such as music, reading, painting, museums, dance and cultural events showed signs of slower biological ageing, with weekly engagement linked to a 4% slower ageing rate.

Researchers say the impact was comparable to the benefits of regular exercise.

This is another powerful reminder that creativity is not a luxury, it is deeply connected to wellbeing, connection and healthy communities.

🔗🔗The Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2026/may/12/arts-cultural-engagement-linked-slower-pace-biological-ageing-ucl-research

📸 ID: Connect the Dots Charitable Trust at their Henderson Community work shop

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Te Aro
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Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 7pm

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