Its run on behalf of Creative New Zealand with council manager strategy, policy, and engagement Rhiannon Suter saying the council were proud to support the scheme.
‘‘It has played an enormous role in building creative capability, enriching the vibrancy of our community, and providing plenty of entertainment opportunities for the people of Invercargill and Bluff.’’
Chair of the Invercargill creative communities scheme Astrid Lewis said over the 30 years of funding being available it’s provided artists with the power to speak directly to decision makers.
‘‘Ensuring that funding reflected the needs and aspirations of their community.’’
She described a lot of pride at local art spaces and said ‘‘the committee sees a lot of dedicated, passionate and talented creatives who love reaching out to the community’’.
‘‘Creatives help shape the atmosphere of a place and breathe life into the city. Here’s to another 30 years of creative development.’’
Shakespeare in the Park charitable trust president Angela Newell said the scheme had been crucial for arts and cultural projects.
She said those areas were often overlooked and required extra support.
‘‘It makes an enormous difference to artists. The speciality of the arts and cultural funding in one scheme is really important.’’
Other available funds required artists to be part of a formal legal entity, while the creative communities scheme was far more accessible, especially to local artists, she said.
‘‘The arts bring joy and curiosity, they bring people together.’’
Danny Owen, known as Deow, runs an exhibition of New Zealand murals and street art and applied for funding from the scheme.
‘‘Funding like this is essential, it supports artists and brings more creativity into regions like Southland.’’
With funding, he was able to run the South Sea Spray Wāhine event which showcased 15 female artists as they painted large murals across Invercargill.
‘‘This scheme was a big part of making South Sea Spray Wāhine happen.’’
It’s also been integral at bringing together the joint works of art historian Bridget Duncan, photographer/videographer Jenna-Lee Shave, ceramicist sisters Angela Railton and Nicola McGilvray and neon artist Natalie Jarvis.
They had all worked for months doing their respective pieces for a combined exhibition.
Titled The Potluck, the exhibition showcased 85 artworks.
Along with creating the art, they were all involved in promotion and gallery-sitting on the actual day of the event.
‘‘All of it was an unpaid labour of love,’’ Ms Shave said.
‘‘The true cost of making art was often misunderstood,’’ Ms Jarvis said.
Creating The Potluck involved ‘‘hanging mechanisms, time spent editing photos, firing ceramics, and designing compositions’’.
To find out more about eligibility requirements or to apply for funding, applicants can visit icc.govt.nz/ccs — Allied Media
