Shanaya Cunningham, 35, and Annah Taggart, 33, have teamed up to build a summer exhibition aimed at inspiring the next generation of artists, anthropologists and historians.
Mrs Cunningham said she and Miss Taggart came up with the idea over coffee one day when they were discussing how they were going to keep their children entertained during the upcoming summer holidays.
"We were looking for something specifically for families to do over summer, because as mums ... we’re always looking for something to do and there’s not a lot in Dunedin.
"So we landed on this idea.
"Creativity from any place is so important."
It was also fortuitous they both worked at Tūhura Otago Museum.
After a short conversation with management, the museum offered to host their exhibition.
"The museum’s collection can inspire so many things," Mrs Cunningham said.
"If people come here, they can see that a lot of the crafts we will be doing are based on collection objects and themed to our galleries.
"They’ll be able to create an inspired piece of art that they can take home."
It was a great day out which would allow parents and their children to work together on arts, crafts and gallery quests.
"It’s a really interactive zone for everyone."
Miss Taggart said they had both been very fortunate to grow up at a time when arts in schools was more valued and they wanted to share that with this generation of young people.
"Arts and culture and history were my main passions at school.
"I didn’t fit into the science and the maths, so it was nice to be able to have something that you are passionate about at school.
"I don’t think it’s valued as much now as it could be.
"I had great encouragement which inspires you to keep going and go further.
"That paved the way for our careers."
They went on to study design at Otago Polytechnic.
Now Mrs Cunningham is the museum’s design and exhibitions manager, and Miss Taggart is a senior designer.
Both said their careers were shaped by the creativity they were encouraged to explore at school and the teachers who inspired them.
"This exhibition grew out of our belief that arts, history and culture are [now] more important than ever," Mrs Cunningham said.
"We wanted to put creativity and cultural learning back in the spotlight, creating a space where kids can explore, imagine and make things with their hands."
Miss Taggart said that, as mums, they saw how important creativity was for young minds.
"It helps children think critically, solve problems and explore ideas [and] skills that are vital in a world increasingly influenced by AI.
"We want to show them that creativity and imagination are tools they can carry with them throughout life."
The exhibition opens at Tūhura Otago Museum today.
