Creative Communities Scheme helps Waitara artists run Māui Pōmare exhibition

Waitara Artists Co-op members Nathan Sharrock, Tania Niwa, Audra Potaka and Dianne Hekeua unpack works for the exhibition.

Waitara artists are building a national platform for their work around the Sir Māui Pōmare celebration with some help from the New Plymouth District Council’s (NPDC) Creative Communities fund.

This year the 88th annual Māui Pōmare Weekend commemorations based at Waitara’s Ōwae Marae took place, with the Waitara Artists Co-op (WAC) setting the stage for a national focus on the town’s arts.

The Māui Pōmare Weekend commemorations, held on the weekend closest to the anniversary of the politician’s death on June 26, celebrated Māori achievement, with families and guests travelling from throughout New Zealand to attend.

The year the exhibition featured 100 artworks by 30 artists, including those studying in Wellington or Auckland who brought back their work to be seen by relatives and friends, said WAC organiser Garry Nicholas.

“This is a kaupapa Māori-driven event to invigorate the profile of visual artists in the district. Waitara has a lot of energy and talent, and we want to build that up through confidence and unity with other arts groups in Waitara and including their diverse works in the show, as well as aligning with other artist collectives around Taranaki to maximise the medium and long-term art strategy for identifying, nurturing and promoting the artists of Taranaki.”

The Waitara Artists Co-op, which is supported by the Ngāti Rāhiri Trust and Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa, received $2500 from the Creative Communities fund for the event.

The scheme is a partnership between the Government’s Creative New Zealand arts agency and councils to promote community involvement, diversity and young people participating in the arts.

Each year the NPDC Creative Communities Scheme distributes around $50,000 on behalf of Creative New Zealand to local artists and arts groups, with the next round of funding now open until August 25.

For more information, visit: npdc.govt.nz/CreativeCommunitiesScheme.