Welcome to the very first Toi Whītiki newsletter. Toi Whītiki, Auckland’s Arts and Culture Strategic Action Plan, was launched at the St James Theatre in December 2015. It was a celebration of the collaborative work between Auckland Council and the arts and culture sector. The name Toi Whītiki comes from the karakia (prayer) that blessed the plan. It means to weave all the strands of the arts together.

We would like to share some of the amazing stories from across our creative sector that are delivering on the plan objectives. Please share this with your colleagues and invite them to sign up to the quarterly newsletter.

Uxbridge Arts Centre - a new arts centre for Howick

On 11 June, Howick’s Uxbridge Arts Centre reopened after a year long redevelopment, realising the community’s vision for a fit for purpose arts and culture facility. Click here to see a video showing all the fun that was had on the day.

Vickie Bowers, Director of Uxbridge, says the building “provides new options for Uxbridge to deliver quality art and culture services to our community and encourage dialogue, foster creativity, and explore meaningful new ideas with insight, imagination and intelligence”. 

Auckland Council integrating arts and culture into everyday life

For the first time since council amalgamation, a wide snapshot across the council family is capturing the range of arts and culture activity from it’s many departments and council controlled organisations.

In addition to the provision of facilities, programmes and grants through our Arts, Culture and Events department, Auckland Transport is working with artists and our Public Art team on integrating art at our transit stations.

Visual Artist, Peata Larkin

Peata Larkin is referencing traditional Māori motifs to create innovative and sought after paintings that celebrate our unique identity. Like many Auckland residents she was born outside the city and grew up in Rotorua. She was drawn to Tamaki Makaurau for tertiary education, studying at Elam School of Fine Arts, and to have access to all that Auckland offers to the visual arts.      

Auckland’s Virtual Reality Evolution

Enter the ‘virtual reality evolution’. It’s here, it’s growing and it’s going to be powerful. According to keynote speakers at the recent Magnify conference held at MOTAT, this year, 2016 is set to become the ‘year of virtual reality’, with a number of providers releasing hardware platforms. These include top end immersive headsets through to the more affordable Microsoft Cardboard glasses.