Pilot project to pay artists a living wage
10 local artists to be supported by Whiria te Ta¯ ngata scheme
Creative Waikato has just launched a new artist-inresidence pilot programme that will support 10 local artists as they practise their ‘creative magic’ for a year.
The programme, called Whiria te Tā ngata (Weave the People together), pays the artists a part-time wage to deliver the fruits of their creative activities to their communities and engage with them in artistic ways.
The artists chosen for the pilot project are actor Benny Marama, multidisciplinary artist Emiko Sheehan, multimedia artist Fay Purdie-nicholls, puppeteer Ifat Vayner-itzkovitch, musician Isaiah Mciver, artist Margaret Feeney, sound engineer Matt Sephton, playwright Melanie Allison, artist Oriwa Morgan Ward and video artist Sasha Mcgaughran.
Each creative will be paired with an experienced artist mentor and will also receive support from Whiria te Tāngata project lead Leafā Wilson.
Wilson says people were starting to notice that they feel better when they experience music, visual art, literature and the performing arts in their lives.
Creative Waikato CEO Dr Jeremy Mayall says Whiria te Tā ngata project follows similar ‘artist wage-type’ projects overseas.
“There has been an emergence of understanding about the vital role of arts, culture, and creativity as a fundamental part of being human, as well the broader value of having these
things accessible for everyone to engage with,” says Mayall.
Whiria te Tāngata focuses on positive community growth, wellbeing and impact through creative practice. The artists have been chosen to weave creativity and wellbeing into the communities they are already activating across the Waikato.
Mayall says he is excited to be leading a new initiative that “really champions these insights through investing in creative enablers who are directly connected with people in
their communities”.
The selected group of artists stood out for their already-shared vision, optimism and excitement for the scope of possibilities the programme will allow them to create in their communities. Whiria te Tāngata was made possible due to the financial backing from the Manatū Taonga innovation fund.
For more information about the artists, visit the Creative Waikato website.