This week, Artsenta is celebrating its 25th anniversary as a shared studio space. Charmian Smith reports on the creative space full of possibilities and its community.
Someone is painting at an easel, one's making a sand mould for a pewter casting, one's picking a tune on a guitar, another is researching something on the internet.
One is knitting a complicated geometric design, another carefully stitching an embroidery, and from the music room comes the thrum of an electric guitar and the rhythmic beat of drums.
At one side of the space are some half-finished Oamaru stone carvings; framed works, from jewellery to paintings and even poems, hang on the walls.
This is Artsenta, an artists' studio, workshop and community, which is open to those who use mental-health services.
It is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and Mental Health Awareness Week, with an exhibition at the Art Station and display of the Creative Arts Trust's collection of work by Artsenta artists and similar shared studios around the country.
Artsenta provides all the things art offers people - the opportunity to give things a go, to make and do things in a community that provides materials, support and know-how. However, it does not provide therapy, rehabilitation or treatment, according to Jill Thompson, the director.
The seven staff, four full-time and three part-time, have backgrounds in art, with extra training in working with people in this kind of environment. Between them, they offer a wide range of skills and are there to inspire, encourage, help and extend the artists who use the space.
The staff offer individual help as well as more structured classes in drawing, painting, creative writing, pottery, glass work and jewellery.
It's not only staff helping artists, but artists also help other artists if they can, Thompson said.
"People have to want to come. No-one is pushed into coming, although many may be anxious and need encouragement."
Some of the artists are part way through a fine arts degree at polytech, but found it too tough and now spend time at the workshop. Others may never have picked up a paintbrush before, but the opportunity is there to make and do art and enjoy it.
Some people have a clear idea of what they want to do and others haven't a clue but would like to give something a go, says Thompson.
"Those people will find their way more slowly. Sometimes people will come to a drawing class but end up on the drum kit. People get stimulated by what's around them. They will see us with ukuleles sitting round the table in the afternoon and before you know it, they will have the three chords they need to join us."
Some artists come from Wakari Hospital and others from day programmes, and many live in the community.
Some have gone on to art school when they are well enough, or sell their work in commercial galleries, she said.
"We don't ask for a diagnosis or what medication people are on. We are not clinical in that way. As long as people are able to be here and do art and focus on art."
The community has guidelines that require people to look after each other, the place and the things around them, which people accept, and they tend to stay away if they are getting wound up, she said.
In the nine or so years she has been at the workshop, Thompson says she's only had to stand a few people down and call the police twice.
"It's part of our job as staff to keep a close eye on what is happening in this community. We have to keep stats so there's always someone who knows who is here and where they are, but there's been very few problems."
However, some of the artists prefer not to exhibit under their own names because of the stigma attached to mental-health issues.
"We have a belief that once they've been part of Artsenta, they can keep on being part of Artsenta. You don't get well and not need it.
"We believe that staying involved in the arts helps you stay well, so it's not like a treatment programme with a beginning and an end. That's unusual these days," Thompson said.
Artsenta has about 160 artists on their books this year, and on any day 20-30 people are likely to work in the studio.
"We like to keep entrance as open as we can while still being true to our funders, mainly the Southern District Health Board and the Ministry of Social Development," she said.
Grants from trusts and donations of materials from Dunedin firms and individuals also help the studio.
Artsenta is holding its 25th anniversary exhibition "Down the Track" at the Art Station, opening on October 18 in tandem with the launch of a book and CD featuring Artsenta artists.
Concurrently, an exhibition at the studio will feature the Artsenta Creative Arts Trust collection of work from artists working in its studio and from other similar art spaces around the country.
See it
"Down the Track" is at the Art Station at Dunedin Railway Station from October 19 to 29.
