Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy

Thank you for your interest. Feedback on the draft strategy closed at 5pm, Friday 29 September.

Once finalised, the Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy will be presented to Elected Members for adoption and communicated to the wider public and available on our website.


Arts, culture and creativity sparking connections in every corner of our district.

What's happening?

Arts, culture and creativity plays a vital role in enabling thriving communities, and are so important to our sense of identity, wellbeing and hauora.

We're developing a district-wide arts, culture and creativity strategy to help guide, direct and support our investment in the arts in the short, medium and long term.

What is the Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy?

The Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy - Te Rautaki Toi, Ahurea me Auahatanga will guide Whakatāne District Council’s future investment in the arts throughout the Whakatāne District. It will be reflective of our communities, our people, our history, identity, the uniqueness and beauty of our land, sea, and skyscape. This strategy/ rautaki provides a framework that will encourage, enhance, and support us all to have different and new conversations about our past, present, and future through various forms of expression and creativity. Arts (Toi), culture (ahurea) and creativity (auahatanga) play a vital role in enabling thriving communities, social cohesion and connection and are important for our sense of identity (tuakiri), health (hauora) and wellbeing (oranga).

Why are we doing this?

Investment in arts, culture and creativity is an investment in people. Everyone can experience and benefit from the art, culture and creativity that is all around us. A strong arts, culture and creative sector creates strong, connected vibrant communities, enhances our natural environment and supports a thriving economy. The Whakatāne district is simply bursting with talent, ideas and possibility. We want to harness and showcase that and to make art, culture and creativity part of our communities’ future.

We received funding from Creative New Zealand to develop this strategy which is being developed in partnership with tangata whenua to ensure it is reflective of our communities and inclusive of our communities across the district.

The journey

Over the past 20 months we've had a series of kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) conversations through various workshops and community events with more than 70 artists, arts practitioners, creatives and volunteers who specialise in a diverse range of artforms. We've listened to challenges, opportunities, and dreams and gathered rich ideas.

From the combined feedback, themes and trends emerged and we have distilled these down to a series of priorities and actions as we set sail on our journey towards deeply recognising and valuing the part that arts, culture and creativity play in our lives. This feedback is being used to inform the Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy and the resulting actions that will come out of the strategy.

Thank you to all who have been involved in kōrero and wānanga not only the past 20 months to get to this point, but to those who have advocated for arts, culture and creativity across your careers and organisations, both district-wide and nationally.

It’s because of your love, passion and advocacy that we can present a draft Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy to you.

Arts, culture and creativity sparking connections in every corner of our district.

What's happening?

Arts, culture and creativity plays a vital role in enabling thriving communities, and are so important to our sense of identity, wellbeing and hauora.

We're developing a district-wide arts, culture and creativity strategy to help guide, direct and support our investment in the arts in the short, medium and long term.

What is the Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy?

The Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy - Te Rautaki Toi, Ahurea me Auahatanga will guide Whakatāne District Council’s future investment in the arts throughout the Whakatāne District. It will be reflective of our communities, our people, our history, identity, the uniqueness and beauty of our land, sea, and skyscape. This strategy/ rautaki provides a framework that will encourage, enhance, and support us all to have different and new conversations about our past, present, and future through various forms of expression and creativity. Arts (Toi), culture (ahurea) and creativity (auahatanga) play a vital role in enabling thriving communities, social cohesion and connection and are important for our sense of identity (tuakiri), health (hauora) and wellbeing (oranga).

Why are we doing this?

Investment in arts, culture and creativity is an investment in people. Everyone can experience and benefit from the art, culture and creativity that is all around us. A strong arts, culture and creative sector creates strong, connected vibrant communities, enhances our natural environment and supports a thriving economy. The Whakatāne district is simply bursting with talent, ideas and possibility. We want to harness and showcase that and to make art, culture and creativity part of our communities’ future.

We received funding from Creative New Zealand to develop this strategy which is being developed in partnership with tangata whenua to ensure it is reflective of our communities and inclusive of our communities across the district.

The journey

Over the past 20 months we've had a series of kanohi ki te kanohi (face to face) conversations through various workshops and community events with more than 70 artists, arts practitioners, creatives and volunteers who specialise in a diverse range of artforms. We've listened to challenges, opportunities, and dreams and gathered rich ideas.

From the combined feedback, themes and trends emerged and we have distilled these down to a series of priorities and actions as we set sail on our journey towards deeply recognising and valuing the part that arts, culture and creativity play in our lives. This feedback is being used to inform the Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy and the resulting actions that will come out of the strategy.

Thank you to all who have been involved in kōrero and wānanga not only the past 20 months to get to this point, but to those who have advocated for arts, culture and creativity across your careers and organisations, both district-wide and nationally.

It’s because of your love, passion and advocacy that we can present a draft Arts, Culture and Creativity Strategy to you.