The No.8 Wire - Issue 8

Filed on 9 July 2004
An Electronic Alert for Wellington's Creative People

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8.00
ITCH

The No. 8 Wire is now already taking over my life, with a new edition emerging about once a week. That's a good sign that there is an abundance of opportunity, cultural interaction, experimentation, and creative forces swirling around us in Wellington. I'll try to keep pace, so keep on incubating and creating and participating. Also, pass the Wire on to colleagues and friends who might be interested: I'm adding a few dozen new people each week. And, the No. 8 Wire always welcomes comments, observations, and suggestions.

Likewise, please let me know if you do not wish to receive these alerts, or if you are getting more than one each time, and I'll correct the error.

This edition leads with a report from Allan Prangnell on the Council's plan for a new Arts Centre. Significant funding has been approved, and things are likely to gain momentum as soon as the location and building have been firmed up. Your participation, knowledge, and consultation will be key over the next few months.

With Bomb the Space on at Happy, and the Word Festival about to kick in, Film Festivals on the horizon, and the Jazz Festival plotting its course for October, Wellington is in full swing. I'm grateful to be a part of it, and for the opportunity to work with you.

Many, many thanks,
Eric

Incubating the arts. Fanning the creative spark. Connecting people and ideas. Building cultural opportunities. Expressing who we are. For Wellington.

SCRATCH

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8.01
ARTS CENTRE UPDATE

From Allan Prangnell, Senior Policy Advisor for Wellington City Council


Wellington City Council has given the green-light to the proposal to establish an Arts Centre in Wellington city.

At this stage, the plan is to open the new Centre around May next year. The Arts Centre will have:

· Studio and workshop space for arts practitioners. These will be rented to artists on a variety of time-bound leases
· A ‘house gallery’ for the artists
· Communal wet and dry workshop space
· A Dark room
· A Kiln
· A commercial gallery
· A performance bar/café
· ‘Hot desk’ space for short-term arts projects
· Creative spaces for community arts groups
· Sound-proofed rooms for bands and other musicians
· An information hub for the Wellington Arts scene
· Professional arts organisations as tenants

The Centre will also run seminars and workshops for the arts sector, providing some training in issues like arts marketing and legal advice (for example copyright procedures).

The Council’s Community Arts Centre, currently situated at the Band Rotunda on Oriental Parade, will become part of the new Arts Centre.

The Council has set aside about $1.2 million in funding to re-fit a building for the Arts Centre, and about $500,000 per year to contribute to the costs of running the Centre. The users of the new Centre will be expected to contribute to the operating costs of the Centre.

The first step for Council will be negotiating lease arrangements on a building to house the Centre. Council’s preferred locations are in the inner city. At this stage, the location options will need to remain confidential, until a lease agreement is secured.

There will further consultation with the arts community as the new Arts Centre is implemented. We anticipate that further consultation will begin in August/September this year, once a location has been secured.

Lastly – what will the new Centre be called? We’ve used an operating title of the ArtsCubator for the last year. We think the arts community should give the new Centre its name, as it’s you who will own it. So for now, we’re going to run with the relatively bland title of the ‘Wellington Arts Centre’, until you come up with your own name!

Eric and I will endeavour to give you all regular updates as we progress with the implementation. If you have any queries, you can still contact me at the email address I’ve been running for a few months – artscubator@wcc.govt.nz

Regards

Allan Prangnell
Senior Policy Advisor
Wellington City Council


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8.02
Get your skates on!
Ice as art? Wait and see. Part of the historic Great Hall in the Old Museum Building at the University’s Wellington campus is about to be transformed into an ice rink as part of a major art exhibition.

The transformation will happen with installation of Fine Arts lecturer Maddie Leach’s work The Ice Rink and The Lilac Ship.

This sculptural installation comprises an 18-metre long, fully-functioning ice rink, accompanied by a video projection of a cruise ship drifting into Wellington harbour.

Ms Leach’s work reflects on the different ways communities get together to socialise and play. Audiences are invited to interact with this work by donning a pair of the displayed skates and skating upon the rink, transforming the exhibition space into an active space for audience participation.

The Ice Rink and The Lilac Ship is part of a major art show, Telecom Prospect 2004: New Art New Zealand. The exhibition will run from 11 July – 8 August. It will be open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.

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8.03
Date Palm Film Festival

The Date Palm Film Festival will be held in September in Wellington, Auckland & Christchurch. The programme has grown out of the Middle Eastern Film Festival, which debuted in Wellington in 2003 at the Paramount Theatre. The organisers felt the need to change the name to help create a positive vibrant feeling to the Middle East.
The film selection committee comprises of Steve Lahood, Bob Maysmor and Jeremy Rose, all with passion and commitment to film and the Middle East. Selection of films for the September festival is near completion. Acquiring films has been a lengthy and difficult process, due in part to a lack of Middle Eastern Embassies in New Zealand.
Sponsors are recognising the opportunities that exist to align themselves with this festival, and in particular we are grateful for the support we have received to date from Wellington Institute of Technology, Innovative Travel, Montana Wines, Sky City Trust, Creative Communities of Auckland City and Christchurch City. As well many of the film-going public has shown great interest in the festival to date.

For further information please contact:
Nadra Zarifeh
Festival Director
Date Palm Film Festival
PO Box 11-494
Wellington
Tel 025 285 1194
www.meff.org.nz


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8.04
Anybody know what this means?

Govt launches new cultural diplomacy programme: Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark today announced a $2.35 million per annum Cultural Diplomacy International Programme to promote New Zealand and New Zealand's culture overseas.

Prime Minister and Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Clark today announced a $2.35 million per annum Cultural Diplomacy International Programme to promote New Zealand and New Zealand's culture overseas.
Helen Clark said the programme's aim is to contribute to a New Zealand cultural presence in key regions overseas, in order to promote economic, trade, tourism, diplomatic, and cultural interests.
"Cultural diplomacy is a powerful way for New Zealand to assert itself to the world as a unique and creative nation.
"We are a culturally diverse and contemporary nation, with a strong and unique cultural heritage. We will promote this more actively in the way we broaden and deepen New Zealand's ties with countries that are important to our own interests.
"We envisage the programme utilising organisations like, for example, the NZ Symphony Orchestra, the Royal NZ Ballet, or Black Grace, or individuals like Dame Malvina Major, in a way which promotes New Zealand's cultural heritage while leveraging off their profile to enhance New Zealand trade and tourism.
"Economic and cultural successes are mutually important to New Zealand - and they can go hand in hand. The experiences of films such as Lord of the Rings and Whale Rider, have shown that cultural projects can have major spill-over benefits into the wider New Zealand economy.
"This Programme will support the growth of creative industries through overseas promotion and through long term country-to-country links, and will support and lift the profile of other trade initiatives offshore," Helen Clark said.
The Ministry for Culture and Heritage is the lead agency for the programme, which was developed through the Grown and Innovation Framework. It is working closely with government agencies such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, New Zealand Trade & Enterprise and Tourism NZ, which have a major external focus. Cultural organisations and agencies will also be closely involved.

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8.05
Wellington City Council Grants Summary

Summary of projects recently awarded funding through the Council's Creative Communities, and details on how you can apply for the September grant round
http://www.wcc.govt.nz/news/display-item.php?id=1892
A full list of Creative Communities grant awards is linked at the bottom of that webpage.
And for a summary of the recent round of Arts & Culture Grants, see
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/news/display-item.php?id=1897
For more information, forms, and deadlines for the Council's grants schemes, go to
http://www.wcc.govt.nz/services/grants/index.html

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8.06
Word Festival Programme

Tuesday 13 – Saturday 17 July
Thistle Hall Community Centre, Cnr Arthur and Cuba Streets, Wellington
The kaupapa of the festival is open and accessible and every event is entry by koha.
TUESDAY 13 JULY
6PM Festival Opening and Wordform Exhibition
A gallery style opening with DJ Blackneck Duck. The exhibition interprets the idea of using word and narrative devices in visual art, and is curated by Chris Lundquist of the Babel Gallery.
WEDNESDAY 14 JULY
10AM Writers’ Workshop
Biddy Grant, through her Standing Ovation initiative holds a writers workshop. Guest speakers offer information about all forms of professionalism in the industry. Participants will be able to meet with publishing houses and learn the inside story on getting their work out to a wider audience.
7PM Fireside Korero
Offering a warm friendly environment for first timers and seasoned poets and storytellers. People can tell their stories in whatever form they like; poetry, song, whai korero. Bring a cushion.
THURSDAY 15 JULY
10AM Word Performance Workshop
A voice workshop helping poets and storytellers to find their voice and communicate their stories to an audience. They will be coached on natural and microphone projection techniques. A rare opportunity to have to have top class training by top class teachers and practitioners Nina Nawalowalo and Susanna Lei’ataua.
7PM Art Politik II
An open forum arts discussion. Local and national political representatives, and arts industry insiders give a ‘health check’ on the artist in Aotearoa/New Zealand. This is a hosted panel event, followed by music and informal sharing of ideas/ideals.
We invite the public to e-mail wordfestival@hotmail.com with any questions they would like to see put to the forum.
FRIDAY 16 JULY
8PM Howltearoa
To coincide with National Poetry Day Wellington’s finest beat brigands present an eclectic take on the spoken word tradition. Performers include: Ciara Mulholland, chanteuse for Shakespeare’s Bitch, Shane Holland, producer of Auckland’s Freaky Meat poetry nights, a preview of Theatre Militia’s Word Virus, and Craig Ireson the original SK8Board Poet.
SATURDAY 17TH JULY
10AM Word Market.
A swap meet for ideas, where local self published poets and ‘Zine makers can buy sell or swap their wares. This is a chance to network and meet like minded artists. There will be open mike opportunities throughout the Word market. Stall holders welcome
7PM Word Feast A celebratory last night party with the best of the fest performers, and guest bands. A chance to let off some steam, and a second chance to see the artists who rocked the festival.
Wordform Art Exhibition runs in Thistle Hall until Tuesday 20th July 2004.

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8.07
COMING TO THE GRYPHON THEATRE
22 Ghuznee Street, Wellington.


Wellington Improvisation Troupe
Presents BATTLE OF WITS
7pm Wed 7 to Sat 10, July 2004 and
GORILLA at 9pm Fri 9 and Sat 10 July.
bookings wit-bookings@wit.org.nz
and also Ticketek 384 3840

Ayden Jacobs presents
THE COMPLETE NUTTA
8pm, Friday 16-Sat 17 July 2004
Bookings 021 250 6739 and
door sales.

Wellington District Theatre Federation
presents THE FESTIVAL OF COMMUNITY THEATRE
Each night different one act plays
8pm Thurs 29 - Sat 31 July, 2004.
Door sales only.

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8.08
Photospace is the Place

You are invited to the opening of Julia Brooke-White's photographic exhibition Raoul Rough, and Deborah Anne Hall's installation Low Flat 08: a grid search, on Friday 16th July, at the usual time - 5pm-7pm.
Both exhibitions run until 9th August. Please go to www.photospace.co.nz/expo084.htm for details and artists' statements.
Also, John Williams' and Andy Morley Hall's exhibitions are running now until 3pm, Tuesday 13th July. If you haven't been up to see these, please try to make it. They're both pretty hot shows. You may also have seen John's exhibition recently at the MFC, and Andy is in a group show at the Hirshfeld Gallery, beginning this month, with Victoria Birkinshaw and Anne Noble.

James Gilberd
Photospace studio/gallery
1st floor, 37 Courtenay Place
Wellington, New Zealand
(postal address: as above)
ph/fax: 64-4-382 9502
cell: 027 444 3899
Gallery hours: 10-4.30 Monday-Friday
11-3 Saturdays, closed public holidays
www.photospace.co.nz

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8.09
ROAR! Gallery has announced Urban Icons

Urban-inspired imagery and culture are the driving force behind an upcoming exhibition at ROAR! Gallery. Artists are invited to submit a proposal and work samples before the 25 August deadline. Items in any visual medium will be considered, but the catch is size: works must be no larger than 35cm x 35cm. Urban Icons will run from 9 to 19 September, and a complete prospectus and submission form can be obtained by calling 385-7602 or firing an email to roargallery@paradise.net.nz

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8.10
School is in at Inverlochy

Inverlochy Art School has just published its Term 3 course programme, which includes a wealth of instruction in painting, sculpture, jewellery-making, photography, and print-making. Check out the website at www.inverlochy.org.nz or call to request the detailed brochure on 939-2177. Inverlochy Art School is located between Willis Street and The Terrace, off Abel Smith Street. Most Term 3 courses begin at the end of July.

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8.11
Wellington poets put their best feet forward

Five poets whose work also appears in the Best New Zealand Poems 2003 anthology will present both their own work and favourite poems by other writers for Montana National Poetry Day in Wellington on Friday 16 July. Kate Camp, Gregory O'Brien, Geoff Cochrane, Jenny Bornholdt and Chris Price will read at St Andrews on the Terrace at 12 noon, in an event hosted by the New Zealand Book Council. In fact poetry is breaking out all over New Zealand next week: to find out about activities in your region, visit http://www.booksellers.co.nz/eventf.htm

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8.12
Turbine: call for submissions

Turbine, the online literary journal published annually by the International Institute of Modern Letters at Victoria University, is calling for submissions for its 2004 issue. Poetry, (shorter) fiction, creative non-fiction and images with a literary bent will all be considered. For submission guidelines see http://www.vuw.ac.nz/turbine/

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8.13
Radio New Zealand call for new writing

Radio New Zealand has also embarked on a hunt throughout the country for new work to include in their Open Story Season, in which they hope to reflect 'the creativity, imagination, and social and cultural diversity in New Zealand today'. They want stories, poems, plays or comedy, and contributors need not have written for radio before. Full guidelines can be found at
http://www.radionz.co.nz/index.php?action=show§ion=specials&specials_id=59

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COMING SOON:

The Art-o-mat Project
Details on Artefacts: Wellington Artist Profile Project
Tips on using the free Google News Alert
Drive by Art hits the street!

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Send comments, questions, requests, etc
to

Eric Vaughn Holowacz
Community Arts Co-ordinator
Wellington City Council / Wellington Arts Centre
P. O. Box 2199
Wellington, New Zealand
04-385-1929 / 027-416-2190
Arts@wcc.govt.nz