Minutes of Arts and Culture Subcommittee

2 11 April 2018

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

Report of a meeting held in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road
Lower Hutt on

Wednesday 11 April 2018 commencing at 6.03pm

PRESENT:

Cr M Lulich (Chair)
Deputy Mayor D Bassett	Cr T Lewis (Deputy Chair)
Mayor WR Wallace
Community Representatives:
Christine Fagan	Iwi Representative
Pam Hindmarsh	Stage and Event Manager
Anita Mansell	Hutt Multicultural Council
Johannes Mueller-Welschof	Hutt Art Society
Desiree Mulligan	Heritage and local history expert
Noel Woods	Atiawa FM, Event organiser, musician

APOLOGIES: There were no apologies.

IN ATTENDANCE:

Cr G Barratt

Mr M Reid, General Manager, City and Community Services

Ms C Johnston, Director, Museums

Ms W Moore, Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning (part meeting)

Ms P Sanderson, Community Arts and Culture Advisor

PUBLIC BUSINESS

1. APOLOGIES

There were no apologies.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment.

3. Presentations

Presentation from Hutt Art Society (18/518)

Mr D Balm, President of the Hutt Art Society (the Society), provided an update. He advised the Society had over 200 members who were mostly recreational artists and crafters. He said they aimed to raise the profile of art in Lower Hutt by working actively in the community. He added that activities included running art awards, providing a venue for painters to showcase their art, providing a collegial home for art graduates and exchanging exhibitions with Minoh City. Mr Balm thanked Council for its support.

Members thanked Mr Balm for the work the Society was undertaking for its local community.

Presentation from MIX (18/517)

Ms S Cairns, the Programme Coordinator from MIX, introduced the organisation as community focused and led, using art to change the lives of people who had experienced mental illness. She added they had more recently formed a percussion ensemble that would be part of the Lower Hutt Winter Festival.

Ms K Collier, a programme participant, said they had recently taken part in an Odlin Gallery Exhibition, showcasing different kinds of visual art including pottery and carving. She explained MIX offered opportunities to connect with the community and try new activities such as puppeteering workshops and music.

Mr L Matagi, a programme participant, highlighted the support he had received from MIX that had enabled him to be involved in several festivals and to take part in an art competition. He believed MIX was important because it created a community of belonging, enabled new experiences and skills and built confidence.

Mr P Hall, a programme participant, commended MIX for providing each artist with the opportunity to bring their ideas to life. He added this had provided a positive and supportive atmosphere that encouraged participants to learn new skills and build confidence in a safe environment.

Ms J Drew, a programme participant, said participants were encouraged to try new techniques and mediums and discover their artistic talents.

Members congratulated MIX members on their artwork and for the success of the MIX Music Mania Ensemble. They expressed appreciation for the organisation’s work in the community.

Meeting Minutes Arts and Culture Subcommittee,12 September 2017 (18/534)

Report No. ART2018/2/49 by the Committee Advisor

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Mr Mueller-Welschof) Minute No. ART 18206

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Arts and Culture Subcommittee held on Tuesday, 12 September 2017, be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

Wellington Regional Amenities Fund Update (18/409)

Report No. ART2018/2/76 by the Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning

The Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning provided some background to the report. She said the Wellington Regional Amendities Fund (the Fund) was originally established to strengthen regionally significant entities in the Wellington region. She advised contributions had been intended to grow with time but this had not happened and Council continued to contribute $200,000 annually through its Long Term Plan. She further advised the Mayor of each Council was part of the Fund’s decision-making body and decisions were based on advice from an Officers’ Group made up of representatives from each Council. She noted a review commissioned by the Officers’ Group found the greatest economic benefit of the Fund was to Wellington City where the most regionally significant orgnisations were based. She acknowledged the Fund had helped strengthen and grow organisations and had contributed to regional events. She believed that Lower Hutt had received benefits only through regional organisations.

In response to questions from members, the Divisional Manager Strategy and Planning advised that the Fund was only available to regionally significant organisations to attract large numbers of people to the region. She agreed it would be difficult for an orgnisation to build significance without funding. She noted a number of Councils had originally set up their art organisations within Trusts for eligibility reasons but that Council funded organisations had later become eligible to apply. She added that capital expenditure was not originally a component of the funding but this had since changed.

The Divisional Manager Strategy and Planning said Council had received funding in previous years through collaboration with Te Papa for regional Matariki events, but explained Te Papa had since shifted priorities. She said the shifting priorities of the Fund made it difficult to predict which projects would be selected for funding. She noted it was a complex fund with many demands on it. She advised the Fund organisers would be likely to ‘shoulder-tap’ organisations to apply for 10 year contributions going forward, rather than continuing with an open application process and that more information on this would be available by 20 April. She supported the need for a workshop to discuss these changes further.

In reponse to a question from a member, the Director, Museums advised its past applications to the Fund had not been successful. The General Manager City and Community Services added that The Dowse did meet the Fund’s criteria.

Mayor Wallace said he had not been aware there had been a change in approach to the Fund and would be reviewing Council’s contribution before decisions on the Long Term Plan were made. He supported the Chair’s recommendation that the matter go before a workshop for more information and input from officers. Ms Mansell suggested the Fund money be more fairly allocated around the region. Mr Woods suggested Lower Hutt host large events to attract the funding and suggested an annual Waka Day or a combination of events.

The Chair requested that officers prepare a memorandum for the workshop. He thanked Cr Barratt for attending the meeting.

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Deputy Mayor Bassett) Minute No. ART 18207

“That the Subcommittee:

(i) directs officers to prepare a presentation for a Council workshop to get further direction from Council on Council’s continuing participation in the fund;and

(ii) provides a memorandum for the Council workshop on the Subcommittee’s views and suggestions for Council’s continuing participation on the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund.

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Deputy Mayor Bassett) Minute No. ART 18208

“That the Subcommittee recommends that the Community Services Committee endorses its recommendation to Council that any future savings in Council’s contribution to the Wellington Regional Amenities Fund must be earmarked for arts and culture funding in Lower Hutt.”

7. Information Item

Community Arts and Culture Advisor Report (18/326)

Report No. ART2018/2/37 by the Director, Museums

The Director, Museums elaborated on the report.

In response to questions from members, the Community Arts and Culture Advisor said she considered the Dowse Square did not provide enough shade for events. She agreed portable shade that could be moved as needed would be ideal.

In response to a question from a member, Cr Lewis advised the Korokoro Stream murals had been erected as part of the Common Ground Festival but more permanent murals were planned.

In response to questions from members, the Director, Museums said it was important to strengthen grass roots art communities in Lower Hutt so that future events had a support base. She noted Lower Hutt already had a number of art organisations that could better meet the needs of their communities if there was access to more funding. She compared the impact of a one-off event with the more long-term impact of community organisations’ work, and suggested that funding community organisations could be more sustainable and spread equity.

Ms Mulligan considered there was room for both one-off events and more sustainable arts projects in Lower Hutt. Mayor Wallace agreed and was confident collaboration with events organisers and the possible freeing of funds currently allocated to the Fund could help progress arts activities in Lower Hutt. He noted this could include one-off events that had far-reaching appeal. He suggested some consideration be given to how the funds could be used if they become available. Mr Woods suggested events could be combined to create a larger event with broader appeal.

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Mayor Wallace) Minute No. ART 18209

“That the report be noted and received.”

8. QUESTIONS

There were no questions.

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 7.07pm.

Cr M Lulich

CHAIR

CONFIRMED as a true and correct record

Dated this 20th day of June 2018