The No. 8 Wire - Issue 3

An Electronic Alert for Wellington's Creative People


Item 3.1 New Creative Space Forming in Porirua
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Neil Furby, a Pukerua Bay poet and arts organiser, has been working to convert a warehouse space in Porirua into the Wellington Region's next multi-purpose art and studio space. The facility is to be called“Your Space “, and intends to provide programming for with a focus on those who do not have access to formal art training. Here's how Neil puts it:

Creative Spaces are places where art is created. They are places where people find achievement, fulfilment and a sense of self-esteem, and where they develop meaningful relationships through creative self-expression

To learn more about Your Space in Porirua, ring Neil on 2399145 or 027 489 6066.


Item 3.2 The New Arts Centre: Questionnaires, Forms, Surveys, Reports, Etc
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Wellington, as many of you know, is planning for a new Arts Centre facility, and is still absorbing the comments and needs of local creative people. You can add your thoughts and wishes to the mix by completing a questionnaire, furnishing Council with your written suggestions, and by attending upcoming meetings. To learn more about the planning process, or to request a questionnaire, simply contact Allan Prangnell, Senior Policy Analyst, on (04) 801 3425 or email artscubator@wcc.govt.nz. Additional information about meetings and how to get your arts ideas into local public policy, are detailed further down.


Item 3.3 Grass Roots Lobby for Local Artists
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Individual artists will gather for a meeting at Inverlochy House (3 Inverlochy Place, off Abel Smith Street on the Terrace end) tomorrow:

11am on Saturday 8 May

This is an opportunity to establish a collective voice, lobby as a larger group, and identify common needs and wishes for Artists living and working in Wellington (as opposed to the 'cornerstone businesses" associated with the new Arts Centre "Artscubator" plan). Bear in mind this is not a rehash of last Thursday's meeting about the Council's plan, but should offer a productive way to assemble as a group. Invite others who are interested in collective action, but please brief them if possible. The more the merrier: plenty of tea and coffee and carparks and whiteboards etc…

Contact artist Sam Broad on 9731793 for details, or just show up tomorrow morning.


Item 3.4 The Answer Is
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Q: What's as thick as a phone book, and filled with all sorts of projects, visions, and things your city wants to do?
A: The Wellington City Council Draft Annual Plan

This document is compiled from all areas of local government operations, and should prove informative reading for any citizen. The whole shebang is available online at

http://www.wcc.govt.nz/policy/dap/

And artists might want to peruse the sections marked "Building our Creative Capital" under Setting the Scene; "Culture and Arts" under Key Achievement Areas; and "Sense of Place", "Built Environment", "On the Horizon". It all makes for interesting reading, actually, but plan on spending the weekend figuring it all out.

The public is welcome to make suggestions or help direct Council during the draft review stage. This can be done on-line at

http://www.wcc.govt.nz/policy/dap/submission.html

And there's also an opportunity to appear in person, and tell your elected officers what you think about the proposed Annual Plan and how they can better represent your needs in it:

Southern Ward Meeting
Monday, May 10 at 7:30pm
Newtown School

Eastern Ward Meeting
Tuesday, May 11 at 7:30pm
Miramar Community Centre


Item 3.5 Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards
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Everybody keeps complaining how New Zealand needs more awards for people, more annual ceremonies to honour this, that, the other. Wellington City Council has responded, and here's the skinny on a new trophy-related scheme (taken from the WCC website)...

The Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards recognise and celebrate Wellington city's most creative and innovative businesses, organisations and people.

The Awards are a key initiative to support Wellington City Council's Creative Wellington - Innovation Capital vision. The vision aims to promote Wellington as New Zealand's premier centre of creativity and innovation to attract and retain smart, creative people and innovative, cutting-edge enterprise to advance the city's social and economic development.

This is your chance to nominate the Wellingtonian, Wellington business or Wellington organisation you think most deserves an Absolutely Creatively Wellington Award. These inaugural Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards are open to all creative, innovative individuals, businesses and organisations based in Wellington city and suburbs.

The categories are:

Absolutely Creatively Technology Award
Criteria: This award will be presented to the individual, organisation or business making an important technological contribution to Wellington's status as a creative, innovative centre.

Absolutely Creatively Arts and Culture Award
Criteria: This award will be presented to the individual, organisation or business making an important arts and cultural contribution to Wellington's status as a creative, innovative centre.

Absolutely Creatively Economic Award
Criteria: This award will be presented to the individual, organisation or business using creativity and/or innovation to make an important contribution to Wellington's economy and employment and/or achieving economic success.

Absolutely Creatively Wellington Ambassador Award
Criteria: This is the supreme award - the recipients will be recognised as a lifelong Absolutely Creatively Wellington Ambassadors. It will be presented to the Wellingtonian or Wellingtonians who have:   achieved outstanding creative excellence and/or significantly supported creativity resulting in the considerable improvement of Wellington's economy or employment and/or considerably improved Wellington's status as a creative centre.

In a hands on demonstration of what Creative Wellington - Innovation Capital is all about, a competition is underway between Victoria University's third year Industrial Design students to design the Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards trophies.

The students will use innovative manufacturing technologies to create their entries. The winning trophy will capture the spirit of the Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards, not only in terms of design but also in highlighting the innovative industries and technologies available in Wellington.

For further information on the Absolutely Creatively Wellington Awards: 801-3130 or CreativityAwards@wcc.govt.nz or visit http://www.wcc.govt.nz/wellington/creative/


Item 3.6 Creative Words + Open Mic = New Poetry Studio at Bluenote
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The Bluenote on Cuba and Vivian Streets transforms itself every Sunday afternoon, from 2 to 4 pm, into Wellington's newest literary venue. An exciting new addition to the Wellington art scene, Poetry Studio is a hot new venue for live readings by live, local poets. "Come up to the microphone and do your thing," says Poetry Studio's Steve Booth. "It's fun to take part or to sit back and listen." Bluenote Bar is already the home of Jam Session on Tuesday nights and Mad Genius Songwriters on Thursday nights. Now they're opening up their doors to the poets of Wellington - every Sunday from 2 to 4 pm. "There's a great vibe at Bluenote that we want to tap into," says Steve. Poetry Studio is about stepping up to the mike and having a go. The show will be hosted by a range of MCs, including well-known poetic personalities Mike Webber and Martin Doyle, hot new talent Jess Bromley, and Steve Booth - the poet with the Moët.

For details, contact Liz at Bluenote on 801-5007http://come.to/bluenoteor Steve Booth on 477-0156 or poetrystudio@paradise.net.nz


Item 3.7 Speaking of Poetry
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Glenn Colquhoun will read from his works on Monday, May 10 at 7:30pm as part of the thriving Poetry Café Porirua. The laid-back venue is Selby's Sports Café, 1 Serlby Place (near Lyndney Place North and across from the Newbolds). Colquhoun won the 2003 Montana New Zealand Book Awards with his third collection of poetry:  Playing God, and was recently awarded the country's most prestigious literary accolade, the Prize in Modern Letters. And, on the same bill: Ian Pepperell, from Pukerua Bay and formerly of the Axolotyls, will perform an acoustic set of original songs. As alway entry is free and you have every chance of winning a bar tab in the popular Open Mic session.

For details, seewww.poetrycafe.co.nz


Item 3.8 $3500 and Your Image in Every Home and Office in Wellington?
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Telecom Directories, publishers of the ubiquitous phone book, have announced the 2004 Wellington Yellow Pages Arts Scholarship. Entry is free and open to visual artists living in the region. The image must reflect "the spirit of your region today", whatever that means, and deadline for submissions is June 18. Entry forms, and all the fine print, may be obtained by calling 0800-104-509 or arts@yellowpages.co.nz or on-line atwww.yellowpages.co.nz  Inspect the rules and regulations closely, as all submissions "will become the property of Telecom Directories Ltd" which "reserves the right to include any entry in the annual Yellow Pages Arts Charity Auction, the proceed of which will be donated to a New Zealand charity". The 2004 charity is Women's Refuge. Consult the complete entry form for details about size limits, formats, and other conditions. One winning entry for the Wellington Region will be selected to receive a $3500 award and his/her image on the cover of every Wellington White Pages book.      


Item 3.9 Yoga for Creative People
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Sue Fuller, a well established and formerly UK-based yoga instructor is now offering Thursday evening yoga classes at the Oriental Bay Rotunda/Arts Centre. The 90-minute session is 6-7:30pm, and new participants are always welcome. The class fee is $12, but local artists can get in for $10 if they mention the Gondwanaland Ministry of Culture discount. Sue has extensive teaching experience in Hatha Yoga, and has completed training in England, Thailand and Australia. She's even produced a series of yoga videos. Artists interested in yoga should call her on 233-9971 or 021-123-9046 or stop by the Rotunda on Thursday evenings.


Item 3.10 Bold Block Letters
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The New Zealand Society of Authors will unveil the newest additions to the Wellington Writers' Walk tomorrow at Oriental Bay. Dame Fiona Kidman's text sculpture will be presented at 3:30pm tomorrow at the Freyberg Pier, at the city end of the new beach. Barbara Anderson’s word sculpture will follow at 3:50pm in front of Raffaele's Hotel at the other end of Oriental Parade. These two works join the other "writers' blocks" scattered about the waterfront area. Their effect, simple and elegant, provide an opportunity for a quiet literary moment, and a small, impromptu celebration of the writer's craft.

To learn more, contact Dawn Sanders at the NZSA Wellington Branch on (04) 476-8369


Item 3.11 The Mayor of Paris is Looking for Artists
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Established New Zealand artists across all disciplines are invited to apply for a three to six-month artist residency in Paris, a programme offered to foreign artists by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Paris City Council.

The programme is located in a newly furbished artist residence on the banks of Saint Martin Canal in the heart of Paris. Support, studio/accommodation and a stipend of 1500 euros (approximately NZ$2800) per month are provided by the Paris City Council. Return airfares for any New Zealand artists selected will be paid by the French Embassy in New Zealand.

Artists will be selected by a board of examiners on the basis of a project they would like to develop in Paris during their stay. This project could be carried out at the invitation of a Paris art institution, as part of a cultural exchange programme or as a personal artistic research project.

Last year, 24 artists were selected from more than 300 applicants and organisers are now calling for applications for the 2005 residency programme. Applications close on 15 June 2004 and the results will be announced at the end of September.

For more information and the application forms see
http://www.paris.fr/FR/La_Mairie/relations_internationales/actualites_international/residence_artistes_france/default_anglais.asp