Waipā Creative Communities Scheme now open for applications

The workshop educated local kaiako (teachers) and community members about the Māori heritage artform of kitemaking.

The April round of the Waipā Creative Communities Scheme is taking applications for community arts initiatives that help grow and promote local creativity.

Project funding can be used for materials for arts activities or programmes, venue or equipment hire, personnel or administrative costs for short-term projects and promotion of arts activities that will run between May 31 and November 1, 2021.

Kihikihi School was one of the 16 applicants to receive funding in the last round for a Māori kite-making wānanga, led by facilitator Harko Brown.

The Māori kite-making wānanga was led by facilitator Harko Brown.

The workshop educated local kaiako (teachers) and community members about the Māori heritage artform of kitemaking and flying, which enabled teachers to take this new knowledge back to their schools.

Kihikihi School teacher Erin Keremeta-Kapa says kites were traditionally used by Māori in a number of ways.

"Kites were flown for recreation, but they also had other purposes.

"They were used to mark important occasions, to communicate over long distances, to settle disputes, to scope out lands and as a conduit between the heaven and earthly realms."

"They were created from a range of natural materials and some were renowned for their giant size and the skill with which they were flown," says Erin.

She says Council's Creative Communities Scheme fund was essential in making the workshop happen.

"Without the funding it wouldn't have been possible."

Apakura Te Kākano Early Learning Centre teacher Pip Russell was one of the wānanga attendees.

Waipā District Council strategy and community services group manager Debbie Lascelles said the scheme is a fantastic way for artists to share their skills and knowledge with the Waipā community.

"Each year we fund projects from photography and art exhibitions to music festivals and theatre shows, so there is a wide scope of eligibility."

Each project should focus on at least one of the scheme's three criteria — access and participation, diversity or young people.

Applications to the April funding round are open now and close at 5pm on Friday, April 30 to be assessed, and funding grants allocated, by a committee consisting of a panel of judges appointed for their knowledge of and experience in local arts.

Application forms are available from www.waipadc.govt.nz/creativecommunities or can be collected from council offices in Cambridge and Te Awamutu. Completed forms can be emailed to info@waipadc.govt.nz or dropped off at council offices.