The Pauanui and Whangamata communities are being invited to have their say on the development of the Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy.

Workshops taking place in both communities on Wednesday, September 23, will provide the Thames-Coromandel District Council with an understanding of what communities' want to see included in the art strategy.

The Great Coromandel Arts Tour is an annual event that promotes the works of artists living on the Peninsula and should benefit from the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy. Photo: File

Council will also gain an understanding of the Tairua-Pauanui and Whangamata-Onemana community boards priorities, in line with the TCDC 2015-2025 Long Term Plan.

These upcoming workshops will be the final two in a series of workshops that have been held in wards around the Thames-Coromandel district this year.

Arts consultant Hilary Falconer says the art strategy has received a lot of interest from the arts community and common themes are starting to present themselves.

The most common theme is a need for more promotion, marketing and co-ordination of arts activities and events.

'The arts community in the Coromandel knows it can develop more sustainably if there is a shared vision and potential for collaborative projects,” says Hilary. 'They appreciate the support they are given by council but are excited by the potential for growth that a strategic approach will give.

'They are also aware of the value of their work in terms of the economic development of the region as a whole.”

Arts development at the community level has been increasing rapidly in the district and can be seen in the increase in the arts events and festivals held throughout the year covering the whole of the Coromandel.

Initiatives are being presented at the workshops, which are being prioritised for inclusion into the draft strategy, adds Hilary.

'Funding pools are getting smaller and the process more difficult, we will have to work smarter to enable the best use of the limited resources for the greatest impact.”

The Action plan workshops to be held in Pauanui and Whangamata take place at:

• Tairua-Pauanui:
  Pauanui Community Hub, 23 Centreway, Pauanui
  Wednesday, September 23, 9:30am - 11:30am.
  
  
• Whangamata-Onemana:
  Whangamata Club, 404 Port Road, Whangamata
  Wednesday, September 23, 1:30am - 3:30pm.

For more information about the Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy email Hilary Falconer at: [email protected]

Information can also be found by visiting The Thames-Coromandel District Council's Coromandel Arts Strategy project webpage at: www.tcdc.govt.nz/arts-strategy

Arts consultant Hilary Falconer has been contracted by the Thames-Coromandel District Council to research and draw up a draft strategy. Photo: File