Successes pile up for Hutt Valley’s MIX

‘‘We really wanted to share this art with the community’’

Brightening up someone’s life is all in a day’s work for the artists and staff at MIX.

From helping people deal with anxiety to decorating the streets for commuters, the art-based mental health support organisation has been going strong in the Hutt Valley for nearly 30 years and recognition for its work has been piling up lately.

MIX has been named Highly Commended in the Wellington region Arts Access Awards, due to its strong presence in the Hutt Valley and its work with medical students.

Since last year, students from University of Otago, Wellington have taken time out to spend a day at MIX, learning what mental health support is available outside of hospitals.

‘‘It’s a fabulous initiative,’’ MIX’s Esther Venning said, ‘‘[The students] see what it’s like for people within the community.’’

The students left their mark as well. The fence outside the MIX house on Knights Rd is adorned with their artwork.

‘‘We really wanted to share this art with the community and there’s all the people streaming past Waterloo Station every day,’’ Venning said.

Artist EV has been attending MIX for the last 18 months. She heard about MIX after she was admitted to the mental health unit at Hutt Hospital and found it was good for her recovery.

‘‘It’s saved me more than once, just being able to come here and have people to talk to.’’

MIX was also in Z’s Good in the Hood programme - one of four organisations in the running for $4000 worth of funding from the Vic Corner station.

Artists and volunteers spent May at the station, washing windscreens and telling people about MIX.

‘‘You meet people from all different walks of life, different ages, different ethnicities,’’ Venning said.

The organisation received $1023 from the fundraising.

Things aren’t looking to calm down for MIX just yet. The Hutt’s Muriel Hopper Art Awards are upcoming and the organisation’s artists have also put their hands up to help out with some spectacular puppetry throughout the inaugural Hutt Winter Festival.

Over the last year, 123 artists have come through MIX, adding up to a total of 13,524 art space hours.