Update for Studio Artists

2005-06-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,

Hope all is going well with everybody. We've begun scheduling exhibition proposals, and now have upcoming shows by Sarah Mortlock (studio 3), Aaron Beck (young local photographer), Gabby O'Conner (studio 23), Kristelle Plimmer (local jewellery maker/metalsmith), Lynn Baird (studio 12), Amanda Johnson (Cuba People, studio 1), Michael Hawkins (studio 2), and a WOW-related exhibition in September. Please see me or Seamus if you are interested in proposing an exhibition for beyond that time. And now to the creative matters at hand...

SARAH MORTLOCK NEW WORKS and GALLERY EXHIBITIONS
Sarah Mortlock has a new series of abstract and graphical paintings that will be on view in the arts centre gallery from Friday 17 June to Tuesday 28 June. We would like to have a small reception on Friday 24 June from 5 to 6 pm, possibly followed by an "Open Studio" walk/crawl for guests, local art patrons, gallery owners, et al. I have secured beer sponsorship from Mac's, and expect that they will be able to provide a nice supply of Mac's products for future arts centre openings. Before planning the 24 June events, I would like to hear back from all of you about…

OPEN STUDIO CRAWL
The Open Studio Crawl would follow the above drinks and finger foods in the gallery, from 6 to 8pm. Ideally, we should have artists in their studios or the studios open for those making the crawl. It would be good to have recent work on display for folks to see, as well as your CV, price list, etc available in the studio. If you are not able to be on site that evening, you could have someone else sit to greet studio crawlers, or just leave the studio open for the two hours (and we will close up at end of the event). If a majority of you like this idea, I would then (quickly) invite dealers, local artists, patrons, creative/advertising people, arts organisations, other arts centre groups, and people who might support your work to an open studio crawl on 24 June.

THE NO.8 WIRE
This is my weekly/fortnightly email newsletter. If you are not receiving this in your in-box, and would like to (or know anyone who would want to start getting it), please let me know. Also, I am happy to include items relating to your work, projects, collaborations, etc. Again, just let me know (send an email with the details my way). For past issues, see
www.arts.blogspot.com

THE ART-O-MAT
My friend in North Carolina, Clark Whittington, started this project with one vending machine, and now has redesigned over 60 former cigarette machines to serve as vending spots. He has a network of artists from all over the world, who create and get paid for sedning in small packages for the coin-operated machines. The Art-o-mats are placed in museum shops, hospitals, health food stores, and cultural centres throughout North America. I have been working with Clark to commission one or two Art-o-mat machines for New Zealand (the first in the Southern Hemisphere). If you are interested in making a prototype and getting into his network, please let me know. And see his website, machines, art, and guidelines here
http://www.artomat.org/

GRANT MONEY
WCC grants (Creative Communities Scheme and Arts & Culture Funding) will be due in September, in case anyone has any projects that could tap into grant-funding. If so, I'm here to advise. For guidelines, see
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/grants/index.html

GMAIL
If you would like a free gmail account (web-based email account with 1GB storage), please let me know. I can give them away from my existing gmail account. You then register and access it by way of www.gmail.com

Warmest regards,
Eric

Wellington Arts Centre Web

2005-05-18T18:44:00.000-07:00

A Communications Effort for Wellington Arts Centre Users, Organisations, Artists, and Associates

FIRST EDITION: All tangled up in creative connections

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Greetings Arts Centre Artists, Organisations, and Associates,

We begin with a quote from Mexican writer, Carlos Fuentes...
"Culture, wrote the Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset, is our answer to the challenges of life. It is the way we walk, and eat, and dance, and sing, and look, dress, dream and struggle, and furnish our homes, and greet others, and pray, remember, desire and love."

And now to the news:

THE NAME
The new complex is currently known as Wellington Arts Centre, which has been around (in one form or another) for 20+ years. We are in search of a proper name for the new facility, and welcome your comments and suggestions. Flick us an email or scribble your thoughts and drop at our office.

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ART STUDIOS
First floor artists have moved in, and the second floor studios are in the final stages of renovation. Most will be ready next week (studios 14 to 22), with the rest finished by the end of May. To discuss your move-in date, please contact me or Seamus Arnel by email (arts@wcc.govt.nz) or on our office line (385-1929).

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LEASES, ETC
Seamus Arnel, in our arts centre office, is your main contact for finalising studios leases, issuing swipe cards and keys, making your deposits and payments, and moving into your studio. For those already moved in, please let us know if you have any problems with access, security, cards, heating, etc.

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FRONT DOORS
We are still trying to work out the after-hours security schedule for the main entrance doors, which are now on a swipe card access system. If entering or leaving the building after hours or on weekends, please do not leave the front doors open, as this will trigger an alarm and security call out. If you need to load things in or out, and require the door to be left open for more than a minute, please let us know (and we will make arrangements to quell the alarm activation).

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SURPLUS DESKS, CARPETS, MATERIALS
We have stored a supply of surplus chairs, desks, carpets, and other material obtained in the move and renovation here. If you are interested in claiming any of these things, please contact me or Seamus about having a look and removing to your premises.

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MAIL, MESSAGES, COMMUNICATIONS
The address for the centre is 61-69 Abel Smith Street, Te Aro, Wellington 6001. If you would like to use this address to receive mail, just have the sender include c/- your name and studio number (or organisation name). We have set up a bank of pigeon holes in the room opposite our office, which will function as a mail drop and message centre for internal users.

I publish a weekly/fortnightly email newsletter for the general creative community, which now goes out to almost 900 creative people in Wellington Region. If you are not receiving the No.8 Wire, and would like to, just reply and let me know. Also, if you have any project news or announcements, always feel free to send me the details for an upcoming No.8 Wire. Past editions are archived at www.arts.blogspot.com

If anybody would like a free gmail (email) address, just let me know, and I will send an invite to your current email account. Gmail offers 1GB of email message and file storage, and is accessed like hotmail or yahoo mail (through a website).

I have created a weblog for internal arts centre users, which will contain all of these updates and messages, and any other news or items that you send for general internal distribution. The address is www.artscentre.blogspot.com And if anyone wants information about creating their own free weblog (aka "blog"), I'd be happy to share what I know.

Wellington City Council's Recreation Unit publishes the handy "Feeling Great" booklets every month, and also keeps the Feeling Great website up to date. These are designed for the general population, and are distributed at all libraries, community centres, pools, most cafes, etc. If you would like to list your events, exhibitions, concerts, or happenings, simply contact Amanda Gregan on 801-3459 or amanda.gregan@wcc.govt.nz

All of the Council's 1700+ employees receive an email newsletter every few days. This usually contains news about projects, jobs, closings, Royal visits, puppet shows, and the daily specials in the staff cafeteria. Often, it will include special offers or invitations from local arts and cultural events. If you would ever like me to list something to broadcast to Council staff, I'd be happy to send your item along.

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HOUSE WARMING PARTY
I will send around the printed invites, but please mark your diaries for the following get-together. This "collation" will be a causal and informal assembly of our current artists, organisations, and users (so we can meet each other and connect with other happe4nigns under these two rooftops). Here's an advance version of the invite...

A Welcome Aboard Art/House Warming: The New Arts Centre Project Manager, Staff, and Co-ordinators would like to invite you to a light collation, meet-and-greet, and informal gathering of the tribe.

Thursday the Second of June 2005
From 5:00 to 7:00 pm
The Arts Centre Lobby and Gallery
61-63 Abel Smith Street

We hope you’ll be able to join us, meet the others who are now working here, and help warm the place with your creative presence. Food, drinks, and other amusements will be provided.

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GALLERY EXHIBITIONS
We have installed a quick warm-up show in the gallery: thanks to all the first floor studio artists who had ready work to put in. I am working with Gabby O'Connor, who is soon to move into a second floor studio, on an idea for a gallery installation. This would include a partnership with a young curator, and would open with the July 20 arts centre launch. Before that, we are working with a group of contemporary Latin American Artists from Wellington, who will install an exhibition next week (with an opening on Saturday evening, 28 May). That will be followed by a group exhibition of 18 photographers in the Massey University Fine Arts programme, and a one-man exhibition of superlative photographs (of people, places, and insects) by Aaron Beck called "MacroAsia." Anyone interested in planning for an exhibition, group or solo, should stop by our office to discuss.

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WCC CREATIVE COMMUNITIES GRANTS

Anyone interested in Council grant funding should visit the below website. The Creative Communities scheme is available to artists and organisations, and has the broadest coverage. Our office is here to advise on grants, venues, and other resources available from Council (and other places in Wellington).
http://www.wellington.govt.nz/services/grants/index.html

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JULY GRAND OPENING
The Grand Opening for the new arts centre has been tentatively scheduled for July 20. Please mark your calendars, and look for more details soon. We are looking to engage an event manager to plan and organise this launch party. If you know of any special event people looking for work, please send them our way. We are also looking for musicians, speakers, and others who might participate in the launch programming. Again, send them this way.

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RES ARTIS INTERNATIONAL ARTIST RESIDENCIES
Even though we currently lack a residential studio or exchange programme, the Wellington Arts Centre is a member of Res Artis: the International Association of Artist Residencies. Based in Amsterdam, the consortium includes over 200 artist colonies, exchanges, and residential arts centres all over the world. If you are interested in researching or applying for a creative residency abroad, I would be happy to advice. I attended the global annual meeting of Res Artis, held last August in Sydney and Melbourne. I am still in touch with many of the residency and centre directors I met there. Learn more at the following website

http://www.resartis.org/

A list of members, with links to their artist residency programmes, is here
http://www.resartis.org/index.php?id=5

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CUBA PEOPLE
Amanda Johnson, a painter in Studio 1 at the arts centre, has been busy working on a new project involving life-sized portraits of people in and about Cuba Street. These are being painted onto sign-grade plywood, which is then cut around the portrait and sealed. Amanda is creating up to 20 of these "people," which are all based on folks we've met and interviewed up and down the street. The cut-outs will eventually be installed on buildings, entrances, public places, and lobbies in Cuba Street. The Council has developed a public art policy and is in the middle of implementing related programming. Please let me know if you are interested in learning more about art in public places, projects, funding, etc.

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GLOVER PARK MURALS
One of the most ambitious mural projects ever will begin next month, and will include original and large-scale works of art by 17 local artists. Each will be designing a 4.8m x 1.8m work that will be installed along the hoarding for the Glover Park construction site. Six of the mural artists have studios in the new arts centre, so their Glover Park panels will be taking shape on-site. Peter Kundicky, manager for the park's redevelopment, has partnered with the arts centre to fund the artist fees, cover materials costs, and oversee the installation. The 17 new murals will be on view for up to a year, as Glover Park undergoes its redesign.

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LOBBY MOSAIC PUBLIC ART PROJECT
I am putting together a call for proposals for a mosaic/interior enhancement project for the entrance foyer of the older building at the new arts centre. DANZ has relocated its offices there, and other arts organisations will begin moving in next month. We'll be calling for interesting public art ideas to enhance the main entrance to the older, art deco-ish building. If you know any mosaic, tile, or (similar) applied artists who would be interested in proposing a design, please direct them to me.

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COMMUNITY ROOM
Our electrician is changing out the fluorescent lighting in the Community Room, to (hopefully) give the room a warmer illumination for evening users. Apologies for the harsh and full-on daytime lighting; please let us know is the environment is bettered by the new light tubes. The community room is home to weekly yoga (see below), musical babies/tots (Thursday morning), the Little Big Voice children's choir (late afternoons, Monday to Thursday), and monthly meetings such as the NZ Society of Authors, Storyteller's Café, Wellington Photographic Society, and others. If interested in any of the ground-level community activities, please stop by our office.

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PAY THE PARKING PIPER
Pay and Display parking comes into effect Monday 23 May 05. Car parking rates are $2.00 per hour / $7.00 per day. If parking your car on the arts centre property (side, front, or back spaces), please make sure that you have a pay and display receipt in view.

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WIRELESS CONNCTIVITY
Both buildings are set up with wireless internet access through CafeNET, and we are able to help you figure out the technical requirements to activate and use this internet network service.

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YOGA
Yoga instructor Megan Corcoran would like to invite all arts centre users to her weekly sessions on Thursday evenings. See below, and contact her for details. If there is enough interest, she would be willing to offer a special yoga session just for arts centre people at a friendly, reduced price. Here's her description...

FLOW YOGA at Wellington Arts Centre: Thursdays from 6pm to 7:30pm. This flow yoga class concentrates on learning fundamental yoga poses and linking these poses to the breath. In these classes, students with little or no yoga experience and experienced students alike will both benefit from finding alignment and comfort in yoga poses. Over time, students will discover they have built strength, stamina and flexibility, in addition to recognizing increased attention spans and decreased stress levels. By working with breath in class, students get warm, heart rates increase, and everyone becomes more supple. Outside of class, students will find themselves more focused and relaxed in normal life. Megan Corcoran has practiced various forms of yoga for 10 years, including Astanga, Iyengar, Anusara and Hatha. She trained at the Center for Yoga in Los Angeles. Classes are $12 each, and participants should bring a mat(a few are available if needed). Contact Megan at
m.doylecorcoran@gmail.com or 021 738 807.

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A CLOSING WORD OF THANKS
As we end the week, I just want to share my gratitude and respect for all the work you are doing to reflect, express, and create New Zealand culture in the 21st century. As you probably know, it is a most powerful calling and a rare occupation, with results that span every band of the human spectrum. Thanks for being a defining force of culture in Wellington…and for helping us forge a new arts centre for the city. I often go back to the quote atop this message, the remarks on culture by Mexican writer, Carlos Fuentes. Thanks for giving us some answers to the challenges of life.

And happy weekend...