Risks of 'dropping to nothing': Performing arts future at stake

Amjazz Dance Studios director Nikki Wilkonson fears the arts will fizzle into nothing. Photo / Andrew Warner

Rotorua's is a history rich in entertainment but the future of performing arts in the city is hanging by a thread.

Rotorua's performing arts leaders fear the arts will fizzle out and there are concerns Māori performing arts may not survive as a career option as the city struggles with the effects of Covid-19.

Last month, the Government announced a $175 million bail-out package for artists, musicians and venues struggling with the pandemic impacts, and an extra $4m to boost the creative learning programme for kids in schools last week.

This funding did not trickle down to Rotorua's performing arts studios.

Howie Morrison Jnr, the son of legendary Rotorua entertainer the late Sir Howard Morrison, said performing arts was interwoven in the history of Rotorua.

Sir Howard is one of many Rotorua names known around the world, having had international success in the arts. Hollywood movie stars Temuera Morrison and Cliff Curtis are among the many others.

Morrison Jnr grew up performing, and with Māori performing arts being a big part of Rotorua's tourism industry he's now unsure if it will survive as a main source of income for locals without tourists coming to the city.

"Without the tourists, we've got no audience ... Not many locals will go watch a Māori concert."

He said the first hāngī and concert in the city was at the then Intercontinental Hotel (Holiday Inn) and his uncle Laurie Morrison was the first person to put the concert together.

Rotorua's Howard Morrison Jnr. Photo / File

"From there it flourished to all the hotels."

He remembers his first concert at the age of 6 and while he said Māori performing arts would not be lost, it might not be a means of employment "for a long, long time".

Morrison explained that having a cultural background created employment opportunities and allowed many locals to travel around the world.

"We're not only losing people here, but it will probably be a long time before any sort of performance group travels overseas."

Amjazz Dance Studios director Nikki Wilkinson fears the arts will fizzle into nothing as people make the decision to cut extracurricular activities from their budget.

With no funding, the private studio uses class fees to pay the three full-time and 12 part-time staff members and the operational costs.

"For private dance schools, there is a risk of it dropping to nothing."

When Covid-19 hit, the enrolment numbers took a dive as parents lost their jobs.

"Our dance studio is purely run off the people attending."

To try to help families out and keep customers, 50 per cent fees were offered for the first half of this term, but cutting further costs was not sustainable.

"People don't realise the extent of the business, exactly how deep it goes ... even down to the things like we have to pay for music rights."

The studio offered at-home classes but had additional costs which had not been budgeted for such as more office hours, Zoom training for teachers, and extra cleaning and supplies.

"It's a little bit scary at the moment for us ... we're sitting in limbo waiting to see what happens after the wage subsidy runs out."

Lakes Performing Arts managing director Rebecca Brake said there was a 70 per cent drop in enrolments as people lost their jobs or hit financial uncertainty as a result of Covid-19.

"It's up in the air at the moment, we don't know what's going to happen," she said.

The centre, which did not work to make a profit, offered a 20 per cent discount for the current term.

But costs were a difficult thing to work around, Brake said, because most of the costs needed to come from the school, with little additional funding.

Coming back has seen a surprising spike, she said, with June enrolments higher than usual.

But while business was picking up again, Brake was unsure how the future would play out, fearing the ripple effects of the pandemic and more job losses.

Brake said the community had been "amazing" with some families anonymously paying a bit extra to help struggling families, and local businesses helped them financially throughout the lockdown despite their own struggling.

"The arts offer so much, and for a lot of our students it's their safe place."

The centre's drama teacher, Natasha Benfell, said there had been a decline as families had to decide between putting food on the table or an after-school lesson.

"We're in uncertain times ... do we keep the kids' drama lessons, guitar lessons? And sometimes those are the things that are on the chopping block."