Wellington City Council Press Release, 28 July 2004

10,000 Students to Invade Wellington for Artsplash

Artsplash, Wellington’s annual Young People’s Arts Festival, is about to take over the Creative Capital, as 10,000 young people prepare for an extraordinary showcase of music, dance, drama, and visual arts.

The 2004 programme begins on Monday 2 August, with a week of orchestra, choir, and dance concerts in the Michael Fowler Centre. Another week of drama workshops follows in venues from the Town Hall to the Westpac St James Theatre, and over 1000 pieces of student art will be on view at the Waterfront’s Shed 11. Most activities are open to the public, and residents and visitors are invited to share in Wellington’s upcoming Artsplash Festival.

“Our major rehearsals began this week, in preparation of the Artsplash Concerts to be presented at the Michael Fowler Centre,” said Co-ordinator Mary Prichard, noting that thousands of young people are mobilising from Porirua to Upper Hutt to Kilbirnie. “That’s the beauty of the Festival. It brings together kids from all over the region, to share the creative process and collaborate on orchestra, choir, dance, kapa haka, musical theatre, and everything in between.”

Now in its 17th year, Artsplash has become New Zealand’s largest annual celebration of young talent. Over 100 primary and intermediate schools from throughout the region are involved in the events, which are designed to encourage expression, cultural awareness, and the creative spark. The Festival is a partnership between Wellington City Council and the Artsplash Education Trust, and also received generous support from the New Zealand Community Trust and Wellington Waterfront.

“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Eric Holowacz, Community Arts Co-ordinator for the Council. “The energy produced during the Festival is unlimited. Anyone who sits down to an Artsplash performance, or views the massive exhibition, will be overwhelmed by the talents, ideas, and confidence of our young people.”

The Festival opens with three dance programmes and five music concerts between 2-5 August. The popular “Schools for Schools” concerts, presented for a student audience of several thousand, are scheduled for 5 and 6 August – also in the Michael Fowler Centre. The second week of the Festival brings theatre workshops, and the Westpac St James Drama Spectacular on 9 August at 6pm.

The festival continues with the Young at Heart concert, a special programme by young people presented for the region’s senior citizens, on 6 August at 1pm in the Michael Fowler Centre. Two special events are scheduled for the Ilott Theatre in the Town Hall. On 7 August at 3pm, a free concert by the young players of the Wellington Suzuki Institute will be presented. That will be followed by a free performance by the Wellington Youth Sinfonietta on 8 August at 3pm. For admission and complete details about all Artsplash events, please contact 385 1929.  

This year the visual arts will take centre stage in a new venue, Shed 11 on the waterfront, with an exhibition theme ‘Fun on the Wellington Waterfront.’  This is being presented, from 3-12 August, in conjunction with a major new mural project for local schools which shares the same theme. Created by 40 school groups from throughout the region and sponsored by Wellington Waterfront, the mural wall will be installed around the Waitangi Park construction site, just in time for Artsplash.

“It’s been a very enjoyable experience to work with local teachers and classes, and then see their creative, colourful designs emerge,” said Mark O’Brien, a Wellington-based artist who is supervising both the Artsplash exhibition and Waitangi Park mural. The scenes include children playing along Wellington’s waterfront, sports and weekend activities, as well as local creatures and marine life.

“The students’ imaginative responses show that the region’s creative future is in good hands,” said O’Brien, who will be co-ordinating school groups at the mural site on 29 and 30 July. Hundreds of students are scheduled to paint large-scale designs in the garage building between Te Papa and the Herd Street Post Office. Their completed panels will be assembled into a 160-metre wall around the Waitangi Park construction site, where they will remain on view for more than a year.  

“The Artsplash Festival has always been about what creative young people love doing – from performing in a choir of hundreds and expressing themselves with song and dance to performing live theatre and painting their world,” said Holowacz. “There’s really nothing like it, and no better sign of a bright, shining, creative future for Wellington.”  

For more information or to request an Artsplash Festival brochure, contact Eric Holowacz on 385 1929 or by email at arts@wcc.govt.nz. Photo opportunities of rehearsals or concerts can also be arranged, phone Eric Holowacz above.

From Creative New Zealand Press Release, 27 July 2004

Gore District Council wins Premier Creative Places Award 2004

Gore District Council today won the Premier Creative Places Award 2004 for its new John Money Wing and refurbishment of the Eastern Southland Gallery, which opened in December last year. The John Money Wing houses major art collections gifted to the gallery by expatriate New Zealander Dr John Money and New Zealand artist Ralph Hotere.

In addition, the refurbished gallery features two temporary exhibition spaces that provide an ongoing programme of exhibitions. The redevelopment has resulted in significant cultural tourism opportunities and economic benefits for the Southland town.

The Creative Places Awards, presented annually by Creative New Zealand, recognise district and city councils that have enhanced the social, economic and cultural wellbeing of their communities through the arts. The announcement was made at the Local Government New Zealand conference in Auckland today where Creative New Zealand’s Chief Executive Elizabeth Kerr announced the winner of the Premier Award and the category award winners.

“Creative New Zealand values its partnership with local government and these awards acknowledge its huge investment and commitment to the arts,” Miss Kerr said. “They’re also a way in which we can celebrate the wonderful and innovative arts projects happening in communities throughout New Zealand with local government support.

“All of these projects are inspirational because they show the way in which people have worked together to provide creative places, spaces and activities for their communities.”

For the first time this year, the Creative Places Awards also recognised an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the arts within the local government environment. The inaugural award was presented to Naomi McCleary, Arts Adviser for Waitakere City Council since 1992.

“Thanks in large part to Naomi’s vision, passion and determination, artists are now an integral part of the design team for all new building projects in Waitakere City,” Miss Kerr said. “Her vision has helped transform the city’s public spaces and thereby enriched the lives of its citizens. She has also provided inspiration for other regions throughout New Zealand.”

The judges of the Creative Places Awards 2004 were artist Kate Wells, Mäori cultural heritage specialist Gerard O’Regan and Deputy Mayor of Hastings District Council Cynthia Bowers. They described Gore District’s winning entry as “a bold and innovative project”, demonstrating a “huge commitment” from a small community.

“This community seized an opportunity and in so doing created a point of difference for itself,” the judges said.

The Creative Places Awards include five categories: Strategic Arts Initiatives; Arts Provision; Celebrating Cultural Diversity; Youth Arts Initiatives; and Built Environment Initiatives. In each of these categories a prize is awarded to the outstanding entry from both a city council and a district council.

An overall Premier Creative Places Award is selected from the district and city council winners in these five categories. Gore District Council also won the Strategic Arts Initiatives: District Councils Category. The prize for the Premier Award is a $6000 contribution from Creative New Zealand towards the commissioning of a new public artwork, to be chosen by the winner.

*****

Arts Provision: City Councils Category Winner 2004

Winning project: Drive By Art

Winning city council: Wellington City

In July 2003, Wellington City Council decided that its 180 c-bracket banner sites – usually located on street lights and utility poles in the city – could be used by Wellington’s school students and practising artists to paint new works of art on vinyl c-bracket banners. The basic ingredients were already at hand: vacant sites and utility poles; low-cost vinyl materials and paint test pots; and a creative and culturally active community.

The resulting banner designs by students and artists offer residents and visitors to Wellington an opportunity to pause in the urban surroundings and experience colourful, complex or engaging new works of art. On another level, the banners also reflect a sense of place and cultural awareness.

Drive By Art has been advanced through small-scale but important public-private partnerships, the involvement of many creative people, and a pervading sense of economy and sound management. The total budget to date is less than the cost of many single mural projects and yet its impact has been widespread.

Further information: Nicole Medcalf/Eric Holowacz, Wellington City Council
Tel: 04-801 3626 or 04-385 1929
Email: nicolemedcalf@wcc.govt.nz or arts@wcc.govt.nz

Wellington City Council Press Release, 15 July 2004

Creativity in the Air as Art Banners Hit the Streets
 
Drive by Art, a dynamic and community wide public art programme, has added a new splash of colour to Wellington's urban landscape.

Fifty five new works of original art, painted by local artists, have been installed along Jervois Quay, Customhouse Quay, Waterloo Quay, Cable Street, Ruahine Street, Murphy St and Mulgrave St. Another 32 conservation-themed banners will follow in the next two weeks.

"Soon, they will be everywhere," said Nicole Medcalf, who oversees the City Council's 450 display banner sites and schedules. Ms Medcalf has been developing the idea for more than a year. "After months and months of planning, working with artists and schools, and gathering resources, it is wonderful to see these new works of art on every corner."

The Drive by Art idea began in June 2003 when Ms Medcalf noticed that a number of banner sites, typically on power poles and street light poles, were not being used. Wanting to find a creative, community-driven way to revitalise the forgotten banner sites, Medcalf took her idea to the Council's Community Arts Coordinator, Eric Holowacz.

Mr Holowacz was keen to develop new and interesting initiatives. He drew up a framework, began testing the materials, and began telling teachers and artists about Drive by Art. "The response was overwhelming, with more than 50 participants signed on in the first few months," said Mr Holowacz.

By September, the concept and basic premise for Drive by Art had been developed: invite Wellington's schools and artists to create banner designs; then provide them with paints and blank vinyl; and give them the freedom to create anything. The final step, installing these original designs as public art, is taking place throughout July.

Fifty-five new banners have been placed on utility poles from Te Papa to Parliament. These have been designed by emerging and established artists, including advanced student groups from The Learning Connexion and Massey University, portrait painters, abstract artists, and illustrators. As a result, motorists and pedestrians in Wellington's CBD will discover a virtual art gallery on the streets.

Just in time for Conservation Week in August, more than 30 school banners will be installed along Oriental Parade. These have been created by school classes from Karori to Masterton, and the designs feature environmental themes. The Council worked in partnership with the Department of Conservation to add a new twist to Drive by Art.

"It's been great to see how excited the teachers are, as they return these completed Drive by Art banners," said Mr Holowacz, whose office has recently filled up with painted banners featuring kiwi birds, whales, rivers and scenes from Wellington's natural world. "It's obvious that the students have been thinking hard about New Zealand's conservation issues and environmental concerns and that their art-making has spurred other educational opportunities."

Organisers hope that soon, Drive by Art will spur all sorts of conversation and community reflection. Plans are being made to continue this public art project well into the future, and rotate new and colourful banners into the urban landscape every year. Schools, local artists and interested organisations are welcome to join in and help the programme grow.

"There is no doubt now that Wellington is driven by the arts," said Mr Holowacz. "All you have to do now is look up - creativity is in the air."

For more information visit feelinggreat.co.nz or anyone wishing to participate in Wellington City Council's Drive by Art programme should contact Eric Holowacz on 385 1929 or by email at arts@wcc.govt.nz.

Photo opportunities at the installation of the school conservation banners can also be arranged, phone Eric Holowacz above.

From The Big Idea website, July 2004

New Wellington Seascape for Oriental Bay

Whales, fur seals, and schools of fish are coming to the surface along Oriental Parade. The waterfront area has become even more scenic with the completion of a bold seascape mural on the wall between the road and the footpath, opposite Freyberg beach and playground.

What was once a drab, cracking retaining wall is now, thanks to a team of local painters and an innovative community arts initiative, an extraordinary new addition to Wellington's urban environment. After months of planning and six weeks of creative work, the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was official unveiled on Friday 25 June.

The public art project was dreamed up by Eric Holowacz, Community Arts Co-ordinator at Wellington City Council, whose office is a few blocks away from the site. After walking past the non-descript wall dozens of times, Holowacz began thinking of possible creative improvements.

"Wellington's harbour is such an inspiring sight, and anyone who has been diving in local waters knows about the wonders of our marine habitats," said Holowacz. Following a particularly adventurous weekend excursion with Miramar diving legend Rob Marshall, Holowacz hit on the idea of a giant underwater vista populated with crayfish, kelp forests, fishes, rock formations and all of the things he had just discovered below the surface. "Rob and a spare wetsuit made that mysterious world more familiar to me, where dusky dolphins jump and swarm in circles, where paua cling to tide-beaten rocks, where birds glide overhead and kahawai feed below."

Walking back to work the next Monday, the community arts co-ordinator pondered a few questions. How could we get artists to render those habitats and all their mystery, magic, and wonders? How could we turn an old, crumbling wall into a work of creative, educational art?

The answers came when he proposed the idea for an "Art-quarium" to some staff of the Department of Conservation's Wellington Conservancy, who agreed to fund the mural and guide the scientific research behind it. Expanding on the standard mural format, Holowacz engineered a way to have a primary artist paint the overall wall mural and then commission a group of illustrators to design marine life on plywood cut-outs. He drafted a call for proposals and participation guidelines, formalised the partnership with DOC, and the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural was ready to take the plunge.

Wellington artist Ellen Coup had her design selected in April as the primary wall mural. Over the past six weeks, she has been painting the underwater scene, and transforming a dull urban block of concrete into a swirling, salty, magical view of our native waters. While the lead artist was on-site creating crashing waves and rocky beaches, four others were busy researching and illustrating marine life. Manuela Adreani, an Italian artist currently residing in Wellington, took birds as her subject. Amy Brenan, a recent design and illustration graduate of Massey University, decided to paint invertebrates. Mica Still, a transplanted American painter who is also a tutor at Vincent's Art Workshop, decided to learn about and depict local fishes. And Ben Walden, a Kiwi who has created large-scale murals in Auckland and Northern Ireland, took on the task of painting the large marine mammals. These artists initially worked with local marine scientists from NIWA, Te Papa and DOC, who helped them research and select their marine life subjects. The results were carefully illustrated on sign-grade plywood, and recently attached to the finished wall to complete the mural process.

"It's so real you almost want to hold your breath and go for a swim," said Maureen Hickey, who walked over from the nearby playground to watch as the final pair of birds were bolted in palce. "I like the dolphins and the whales," said three-year old daughter Eva, pretending to swim alongside the life-sized orca. Over the past few weeks, everyone who has encountered the mural has ended up mesmerised by the artwork.

“It’s been really rewarding to do such a public piece of art. Pedestrians, joggers, beach-goers, cyclists, young and old have shown interest and enthusiasm in the mural in progress. It has come together really quickly, with the bolt-on illustrations installed just recently. The entire wall looks fabulous. It’s a great way to add a little bit more to what is already a fantastic location. I’ve really enjoyed this project,” Ms Coup said.

DOC Community Relations Programme Manager Dairne Poole said the completion of the mural was a milestone in DOC’s aim to increase public awareness of marine environmental issues. With the addition of informative signs about the creatures on display, the mural would be an excellent educational tool.

“We really hope that schools take the opportunity to use it as a teaching resource. The ability to change the creatures on the wall over time also presents the opportunity to address any special issues facing the harbour that might arise, so it can change over time,” she says. And, in a way, that community involvement aspect has already become evident.

"As we were installing the whales, dolphins, penguins and a sly looking gurnard, small children were smiling and with delight, and inspecting every inch of the mural scenes" said Holowacz. "Joggers would turn, slowing their pace, then shout out quick praise to the painters. Tourists were snapping photos on each end of the wall, no doubt hoping to take a piece of Wellington, and our glorious harbour, home with them."

Holowacz noted that this project was also driven by incredible community spirit. Benchmark Building Supplies in Newtown, and it's plywood agent International Panel and Lumber, donated all the wood required. Resene and Ramset willingly gave their products. And, last but not least, Patrick King, owner of Cut to Size, donated hours of his time to professionally prepare and cut each and every one of the mural elements.

"When we needed something, all of these businesses responded" said Holowacz, "Because that's the kind of place Wellington is. They helped us give our city a colourful new scene, not to market their brands or get something commercial out of it, but because they genuinely care about community--and because they hope to see more smiles, and more delight in it."

For details on the Oriental Bay Seascape Mural, and other community arts projects in Wellington, contact Eric Holowacz on 385-1929 or arts@wcc.govt.nz. To learn more about DOC and the upcoming Conservation Week programmes in August 2004, contact Dairne Poole on 470-8433.