It is the first time that Te Tuhi and Uxbridge Arts and Culture have come together to draw on local creative talent and give them a voice.
East Auckland artists, performers, creatives and cultural groups are wanted for a new arts festival launching May 2018.
Arts Out East Festival is a two-week celebration that will showcase the arts and culture in east Auckland.
Supported by the Howick Local Board in partnership with Te Tuhi and Uxbridge Arts & Culture, the Arts Out East festival will also include a free, family-friendly launch day on Saturday May 12 and runs to May 26.
In a joint proposal they have also roped in theatre enthusiast and Green Party’s Botany electorate candidate for the general election 2017, Julie Zhu to help network and organise out-of-the-box events at schools, Buddhist Temple in Flat Bush and push creative boundaries.
“We hope to use social media to go beyond artists who exhibit at Te Tuhi and Uxbridge,” says Julie.
“It will be like a little French Festival out this way and will be very helpful for someone who is starting out as an artist and may not have the resources. We will feature them on our website, give social media advice and help people to cover resources with information on grants deadlines and assist them in other ways.”
Marketing and Communications coordinator for Te Tuhi Contemporary Art Trust, Amy Weng says that Arts Out East is aimed specifically to showcase local talent.
“We are currently seeking expressions of interest from musicians, artists, performers, makers and creatives to join us for the festival,” she says.
The arts festival hopes to include visual art, crafts, kapa haka, performance art, dance, music, film, storytelling, textiles, workshops, and more.
“We are keen to hear your brilliant ideas to showcase the thriving artistic talents we have locally out east. The opening day will be a showcase day and it will be very exciting to find lots of artists of different genres and plenty of good food,” she says.
Local artists, groups, and organisations may also wish to register for the Arts Out East database even if they cannot participate in the Arts Out East Festival 2018.
Deadline for applications to be part of the Arts Out East Festival is Monday February 19, 5pm.
- Visit www.artsouteast.org.nz
Submissions can be made at www.artsouteast.org.nz/call-for-expressions-of-interest
