Artsenta will celebrate its 40th anniversary with a symposium on creativity and wellbeing during Mental Health Awareness Week.

The day-long event, titled Toi Piringa: The Art of Connection will be held at Tūhura Otago Museum next Wednesday, in conjunction with the 40th anniversary exhibition “A River of Creativity”. 

Artsenta director Paul McLellan-Smith said  in a statement “Toi Piringa: The Art of Connection will be an inspiring day of learning that aims to lift the awareness and understanding of creativity as an essential component of community wellbeing”.

“This wānanga is for everyone, just like creativity and wellbeing is for everyone.”

“It is also a chance for those who work in the creative wellbeing sector to share and celebrate the value of the work they do every day.

“Work that is often poorly funded but so powerful.”

This symposium brings together leaders of creative spaces from across New Zealand with presentations focused on case studies, research, cultural perspectives and the voices of tangata whaiora —  people with lived experience of mental distress or addiction. 

National body Arts Access Aotearoa will play a key role at the symposium, facilitating a panel discussion with four creative space leaders.

Artsenta is one of 65 creative spaces operating throughout New Zealand, and is one of the longest running.

As a sector, creative spaces employ 1500 professionals and support about 40,000 people to engage in arts programmes and activities that nurture their health and wellbeing.

Registration and programme information via humanitix.com

— Allied Media