MEDIA RELEASE
November 4, 2019
Arts Murihiku implementing community-led arts strategy
The Arts Murihiku Trust is beginning to implement a community-led regional arts strategy –building on the Arts Murihiku pilot programme.
The volunteer-based trust was formed to administer the two-year pilot programme, initiated and funded by Creative New Zealand, aimed at growing the capacity and capability of the Arts sector in the south.
Arts Murihiku chairman Paul Duffy said as the pilot had now ended the arts strategy was becoming the organisation’s guiding document.
The strategy process has involved public consultation and the strategy would be launched at Arts Murihiku’s AGM on November 25, Duffy said.
The southern arts community’s message along with other stakeholders to Arts Murihiku was that they were happy to engage, but they wanted to see a clear outcome and progress forward.
“We’ve learned a lot about what the community needs.”
Ensuring Arts Murihiku was financially sustainable was a key priority.
The Trust had decided to move to a hub and spoke model, with a part time administrator, and specific initiatives contracted out to arts entities in the region, he said.
It was a prudent move allowing the organisation to continue to fufil its vision to support, connect, grow, promote and advocate for arts in Murihiku/Southland, Duffy said.
“Arts Murihiku has and will continue to do great work in the community and this new structure will assist with this.”
In terms of future funding, Arts Murihiku can apply to Creative New Zealand on a project by project basis – and having the arts strategy in place would be beneficial in this regard, he said.
Community funders in Southland have been strong supporters of Arts Murihiku, and the trust could look towards those funders for assistance around specific future projects, Duffy said.
Arts Murihiku’s AGM is on November 25, from 5pm, at the Community Trust South offices in Don St, Invercargill.
For more information please contact: Arts Murihiku chairman Paul Duffy 027 288 5865
