The Morph website features articles, overseas columnists, reviews and artist profiles. It talks about musicians, artists, actors, poets, initiatives and ideas of our time. In going online, Morph is adapting to the climate of change within conventional media society – the seismic shift toward the internet and the infinite possibilities it provides in the sharing of information.

But then again, Morph has never been conventional. It’s a magazine that celebrates the creative young person instead of exploiting them, or patronising their ability to represent themselves. An advertising-free production, it doesn’t attempt to mould trends or detract from the work and integrity of its contributors.

It’s an outlet for creativity and expression.  Morph presents the chance to tell the world your stories, whilst being supported in your process. At Morph you can hone your writing skills, or try out new writing ideas. You can let us know about your observations of the world. You can tell us about those who inspire you. You can describe your community and the creativity that takes place around you. You can relate your vision for the future.

And even if you’re not a writer, there’s a place for you on the site. Whether you are an artist, illustrator, photographer, or poet there’s always a way to slot you into Morph.

To find out about how you can contribute. Visit www.morphmagazine.co.nz, or email morphmagazine(at)gmail.com

‘True to its name Morph will continue to transmogrify along with time, circumstance and perspective that you, Morph reader, are able to bring to it.’
Editorial, Morph Edition #1

Following the last meeting at TAPAC in February, we’d like to update you as to what has been happening in the fast-moving world of Auckland governance transition, what the Auckland Arts and Culture Working Group have been working on, as well as what is coming up.  Please distribute this information to your networks.

To be added to the mailing list email maggie@artistsalliance.org.nz

The Working Group has:

·          written a submission guide to the 3rd Bill and circulated to the sector

·          written a submission to the 3rd Bill on behalf of the working party / wider sector

·         presented verbally to the Select Committee for the 3rd Bill. Our submission was well received and the Select Committee members asked a few questions. We were told that the arts and culture sector had as a sector made a strong platform, and the number of submissions from the sector was high. We were told that the sector was consistent in: its desire for a regional arts strategy; its disappointment in the lack of articulation of Local Board’s responsibilities; support for the Auckland Regional Amenities Funding Bill; an anxiety around the creation of and subjugation to CCOs (both the Major Regional Facilities CCO and Economic Development, Tourism and Events CCO).
It is necessary to point out that the ATA’s Discussion documents on Auckland Council Local Boards (26 Feb) and Council-controlled organizations of Auckland Council (1 March) were not available for consideration prior to the Select Committee and submission process.

There is growing interest and potential support at both local and central government for a regional arts and culture strategy. The Working Group members spoke to Nikki Kaye prior to the Select Committee hearing who asked us if we think strategies and advisory groups should be legislated.

Anne attended a meeting with Kerry Harvey (Ministry of Culture and Heritage), Elizabeth Beale (CNZ) and Jill McPherson (Auckland City Council and ATA Community Services Workstream) to talk about how a regional arts strategy could be accomplished. It was identified in this meeting that Heritage is to be included in the strategy.The Working Group took the ideas suggested in that meeting to the Auckland Arts and Culture Reference Group (that supports the Working Group) for their comment and feedback on Tuesday 18th March.

The Working Group met with Colin Dale and Jill McPherson for an update and an opportunity to ask questions on the two ATA Discussion Documents (on Local Boards, and on CCOs) earlier this week. Colin and Jill stated that arts and culture organisations should read and consider the discussion documents and take the opportunity to submit their feedback. Submissions close Friday 26 March, and the Working Group will be sending out a commentary/ guide to the documents to people on our mailing list shortly.

What the Working Group advises you to do:

·         Read the local board and CCO discussion documents, and encourage others to do so. The documents can be found at www.discussiondocuments.co.nz

·         Prepare and send in submissions to the documents (we’ll be sending through some information shortly which may help you do this)

·         Advise your board to revisit its trust deeds and constitutions (in light of CCO matters).

·          Gear your board / your organisation’s governing body up for lobbying candidates and influencers – make sure your key messages are current and that you can “tell your story” thoroughly but succinctly. you may wish to create, review and gather together documents, information and brochures etc that tell the history and stories of what your organisation does and has done, and make sure you have key messages about what you do, who you work with etc.Economic Impact and public delivery outcome information will be very important going forward

·         Stay in touch with the Working Group and other arts organisations, and keep up to date with changes as they happen.

·         Distribute information to your networks and let others know of what issues are arising, and how they can come forward.

What Working Group is doing next:

·         Creating a submission guide on both discussion documents

·         Writing and submitting a submission to both discussion documents by March 26 on behalf of the Working Group

·         Working with the arts, culture and heritage reference group and the relevant local and central government agencies to assist them to form a group to feed into work on a regional art strategy

·         Maintain communications between the arts, and culture and heritage sector and those working on a regional arts strategy

·         Continue to work with the ATA to raise and discuss arts and culture sector issues

·         Staying in touch with the arts and culture sector, and letting you know what is happening, and seeking your views and feedback

·         Arranging an information, governance and strategy meeting for the sector

·         Mapping the people we are in contact with, and getting feedback from, and filling in any gaps in the expertise that we currently draw from.

Auckland governance transition news

The senior management roles ( at tier 3) in the Auckland Council have been advertised and applications closed late last week. The ATA advise recruitment for these roles will be completed by mid-May

The Auckland Council structure including roles below tier three is not being publicly announced as yet. Rather, the ATA are entering into a process with existing staff of all the local authorities to map existing and new roles in the organisations and seeing what job areas and responsibilities will fit under each role. They will then see which existing staff would match each role, and by the end of March, advise each existing staff member whether there will be change in their role or not. The ATA are hoping to have the final structure determined by the end of April. They emphasise that the culture in the organisation is to seek wherever possible to minimize disruption for both staff and ratepayers, and aim for continuity of service and ‘business as usual’ as much as is possible under the circumstances.

In response to Nikki Kaye’s advocacy for arts and culture to be on a par with sport and community/social sectors, Mark Ford has responded that there are three 3rd tier core community service roles in the new Auckland Council:

Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation
Manager Libraries and Information
Manager Community Service, Arts and Culture

“The roles are not dissimilar in size and will all have significant fourth tier roles reporting to them.”

The ATA has released two discussion papers as detailed above (on CCOs and Local Boards) and is seeking submissions to the documents by 26 March.

From the Auckland Arts and Culture Working Group

James Mc Carthy, Maggie Gresson, Candy Elsmore, Anne Rodda, Louise Evans

Creative New Zealand is seeking feedback on four key areas:

* Alternative approaches to the funding model
* The purpose and eligibility requirements for multi-year funding
* Priorities for investing in arts infrastructure
* The introduction of funding formulae as an element of investment decision-making

At the end of the paper is a questionnaire that seeks feedback on ideas raised in this paper. The questionnaire includes a mix of tick-box questions and open ended questions.

CLICK HERE to be taken to the discussion paper (located on the CNZ website).

Results from the research include overall views on the move to a new Auckland Council, potential roles of the new Local Boards, and ideal levels of public information. The information is being used by council in a variety of submissions, papers and transition plans.

The documents provide interesting insight into how the people of Auckland are responding to the transition and the idea of a supercity.

Regional governance research findings - executive summary (259kb) PDF (10)

Regional governance research - full report (3,767kb) PDF (10)

Research methodology (55kb) PDF (13) ]]> http://www.cpc.org.nz/community/auckland-city-council-regional-governance-research/feed/ 0 http://www.cpc.org.nz/community/cultural-icons-ard-fairburn-as-seen-through-family-eyes/ http://www.cpc.org.nz/community/cultural-icons-ard-fairburn-as-seen-through-family-eyes/#comments Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:31:42 +0000 Website Administrator http://www.cpc.org.nz/?p=1026 One of Auckland’s beloved sons, the writer, artist and activist ARD Fairburn (1904–57), is the subject of the latest interview for Jam Radio’s Cultural Icon series. Fairburn was described by his peer Frank Sargeson as one ‘one of the most extraordinary men born in the southern hemisphere’.

From his contribution to many aspects of the arts scene in Auckland, to his stance on gender equality and the organic movement, Fairburn was a larger than life character who charmed both the critics and those who knew him.

Graeme Lay interviews two of ARD Fairburn’s children, Dinah Holman and Janis Fairburn about their father. In a conversation full of warmth, humour and nostalgia they reflect on his family and relationships, his work and publications, and the mark he has left as one of NZ’s most? influential writers.

To listen to the programme, entitled Cultural Icons: The Daughters of ARD Fairburn, visit www.jamradio.co.nz

Click HERE to read the full press release on the Cultural Icons project

This from the website:

;’Local government in the wider Auckland area is being reorganised as a result of legislative change. Existing city, district and regional councils will be dissolved and a new unitary authority – the Auckland Council – will operate from 1 November 2010. The Auckland Council will have two complementary decision-making parts, the governing body (the Mayor and elected councillors) and 19 local boards. Services will be delivered by the Auckland Council organisation and by a number of subsidiaries, known as council-controlled organisations (CCOs).’

On this website you can download the discussion documents, provide your feedback and ask questions:

http://www.discussiondocuments.co.nz/

‘We are submitting from the position that the arts and culture are an integral part of our society and our communities, as well as a driver of economic development and innovation. The groups that we represent are a cross-section of people and organisations working in the arts in the Auckland Region, and range in scope and genre from large recurrently or statutorily funded organisations with an international, national and regional presence, through to smaller arts groups or individuals working in and catering to a local communities. We are working to ensure that the contribution that arts organisations do to make our city / region a world class and vibrant place to live in and visit is acknowledged and strengthened in the new regional approach to Auckland governance. We think that the change in the local governance of the region presents the arts and culture sector with a range of challenges, but also a range of opportunities, and we want to ensure that our voices are heard to maximise those opportunities’

Creative New Zealand’s four governing bodies will be replaced by a single board, under a proposal announced by Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson.

One board responsible for policy, strategy and funding allocation would replace the Arts Council, the Arts Board, Te Waka Toi and the Pacific Arts Committee.

Mr Finlayson said a streamlined unitary board requires fewer resources, and frees staff to focus on what is important – artists, arts organisations and arts development.

The number of members would be reduced from 28 to 13, including a minimum of four members with knowledge of Maori arts and at least two with knowledge of Pacific arts.

“The new arrangement guarantees that issues involving Maori and Pacific arts are represented at the top table for decision-making, which under the current cumbersome structure is not the case,” Mr Finlayson said.

“Along with the arts sector, which has voiced concerns for years about Creative New Zealand’s governance structure, I am looking forward to the improvements in service, focus and efficiency these changes will allow,” Mr Finlayson said.

Chair of the Arts Council of New Zealand Alastair Carruthers welcomed the new governance structure.

Mr Carruthers said the proposed board would offer more streamlined decision-making because there would be a single group setting strategy, allocating budget and making investment decisions.

“What is proposed will reduce complexity, provide clearer accountability to the sector, and allow staff to focus on supporting artists and arts organisations, rather than servicing a cumbersome and outdated structure.”

He also welcomed the proposal to include four Maori and two Pacific representatives to the 13-member board.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage, working with Creative New Zealand, Te Puni Kokiri and the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, carried out the review, as well as targeted consultation with the arts sector.

Mr Finlayson said the changes will result in direct cost savings of approximately $200,000 per annum.

The review of Creative New Zealand’s governing legislation was promised in the National Party’s arts culture and heritage policy in the 2008 election, which was informed partly by Mr Finlayson’s first hand experience as Chair of the Arts Board from 1998 to 2001.

Mr Finlayson said he hoped legislation would be introduced this year to enact the changes.

As you may already know, and it was discussed at the 3rd ‘Arts in the Supercity’ meeting held at TAPAC last night, it is of vital importance that you and your arts organisation make a submission to this Bill. Note:  the deadline for submissions is Friday February 12.

Submission guides and resources are here:
Making a Submission to Local Government (38)

The ‘arts in the supercity’ working party, and the people who attended last nights meeting, have identified 3 key areas that will impact on the sector and arts organisations in the sector:

1. The role of Local Boards not defined in the Bill

The ‘3rd Bill’ does not define the roles and responsibilities of the Local Boards. Many arts organisations have great concerns and uncertainty over the relationship that their arts organisation will have with the new Auckland Council and/or Local Board, and what criteria will be applied to define whether their organisation is ‘regional’ or ‘sub regional’ in nature

2. The proposed Major Regional Facilities Council Controlled Organisation (CCO)

This could affect your organisation if you are a user of one of the facilities/ organisations in the proposed CCO, and obviously if you are one of the organisations included in the proposed CCO, or if you have concerns over how such a CCO could operate in reality as the organisations in the body are so diverse in scope, size, governance structures and remit. Some concerns have also been raised that this CCO could be one of the first of many to manage areas of the arts and culture sector, as well as other sectors. There is provision in the Bill to dissolve existing CCOs and transfer their assets to other entities

3. Regional Arts Strategy / Policy development

The development of a Regional Arts Strategy has been identified by the working party, reference group and the public meeting attendees as a vital tool in ensuring that Local Boards in particular have some obligation towards fostering arts activities and services in their area and community. Many in the sector see a regional arts strategy as a playing an important role in ensuring that the arts have strong purpose and mandate in the city region, and some clear and robust development pathways into the future development of the region. It will also provide further accountability to the local boards in addition to the local government act.

The proposed Bill will affect different arts organisations in different ways, and in your submission you should articulate in very real terms how your group could be affected.

You can speak to your submission at the select committee hearings which at this stage we are advised are likely to be held in Auckland the week beginning February 22nd. We do urge you to request a short verbal submission if at all possible as it makes your written submission even more compelling, and puts a human face to the issues you have raised.

Thank you,

The ‘arts in the supercity’ working party,

Maggie Gresson, Anne Rodda, Candy Elsmore, James McCarthy

If there is a particular workshop or event you’d like to see happen, that furthers the future of the music industry in NZ, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.