Southern View: June 07, 2016

SOUTHERN VIEW Tuesday June 7 2016 13
and wellbeing projects
How full are your classes?
Funny you should say that
actually, we have a waiting list for
the Phillipstown groups. There’s
currently a lot of work being
done looking at whether a community
hub could be set up in
the closed Central New Brighton
School, and we’re hoping we
might be able to share a space in
that facility.
You must get a bit of a kick
knowing classes are full?
Oh absolutely. It’s something
that I get a great deal of joy out
of. Yes it’s my full-time job, but
my focus has been on establishing
the programmes and now
they’re doing so well. We just
need to secure funding so we can
add to our existing programmes
to meet the demand.
So how did this all come
about?
About 20 years ago I managed
a community art space in
Masterton and I’d been aware
of the gap in Christchurch for
some time, but it was only after
the earthquakes that it kind of
galvanised my energy and so I
decided to kick-start something
here. There’s a network of spaces
like this around the country, so I
had good relationships with the
people involved there and then
we did some research which was
funded by Creative New Zealand,
and it looked at the need and how
something should be set up here.
It’s not something you can just
transplant from one city to the
other, Masterton is a small town.
In post-earthquake Christchurch,
opportunities to connect with
others creatively in your local
community seemed more important.
So is the city council involved
at all?
It supported the feasibility
work done in 2014 and our set-up
in early 2015. The city council has
been supportive right through
that process. Two council staff
members were on our steering
group which guided us through
the research stage, and establishment.
How long have you been in
Christchurch then?
I’ve been here for 15 years,
and was in Masterton before, for
about three years, but I was born
in Auckland. I’ve lived in lots of
different places, but Christchurch
is home now.
Oh good to hear! Where are
your favourite spots?
My favourite in Christchurch
is Taylors Mistake. But in New
Zealand, it’d be the Cavalli
Islands in Northland. It’s special
because we had lots of childhood
holidays there, and many family
connections.
Do you have any family down
here?
I have two boys, who are 17
and 13. They keep me on my toes.
They’re both at Hagley Community
College, and they’re enjoying
that. I’m not sure what they want
to do, but as long as they do what
they’re passionate about, I’m
good with that.
And where in the city are you
guys based?
We’re in Lyttelton. The kids
love it because of the hills and the
sea, and the great landscape.
That’s a bit of a trek to work
each day?
Yes that’s a point, I don’t live
in the communities I’m working
in. That means that it’s even
more important to have a strong
relationship with the community.
We’ve designed some projects
that are around the identity and
stories of Phillipstown – photography
and poetry projects that
combine with Ara Institute of
Canterbury, and local residents,
and what Phillipstown means for
them. That’s only just started.
Where did you go to school
then?
I went to school in Auckland,
to Westlake Girls’ High School. It
was just the one up the road from
where we lived at the time.
Did you ever have a mentor, or
a big influence that taught you
art?
Some people do have an outstanding
person in their life, but
DISCUSSIONS: Kim Morton and Creative New Zealand’s Chris
Archer discuss the future of the Otautahi Creative Spaces
Trust.
this is hard for me. I guess mine
was Sue McBride, who was an
outstanding art teacher. I really
enjoyed art at school because of
her, so that probably did sow the
seed.
What did you do after that?
I’ve had quite a few different
aspects of my work. One is in
law, I trained for law, and didn’t
know if I’d take it further after I
studied it. I specialised in social
justice and community law. And
in a way there’s quite a connection
between those studies and
what I do now.
Where did you study for law?
At the University of Otago for
five years. I worked in consumer
rights and then in community
law, specialising on welfare law.
And did you use the degree?
Did you have any law jobs?
Yes, I did. I guess it must have
been 20 years on and off using
it. The earthquakes made me
question what I was doing, and
I decided to put my energy into
creativity and wellbeing projects.
Life’s short, if I can make a difference,
then I should. And for me
it was around this idea of art and
creativity in Christchurch that
was the best way I could do that.