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Hamilton's Art Forum members announced

Friday 17 August 2012, 3:54PM

By Hamilton City Council

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HAMILTON

The appointment of 12 Hamilton community leaders and arts organisation representatives to the new Arts Forum is the next step in delivering on the aspirations of the city’s Arts Agenda.

The Arts Agenda is a strategy for the arts in Hamilton, covering all aspects of the arts, including theatre, music, dance, painting, photography, education, fashion, digital design and film. It sets out five priority areas for the city’s arts sector, which will be delivered through a collaborative approach between groups, individuals and Hamilton City Council.

Hamilton Mayor Julie Hardaker says the appointment of the Arts Forum members is an exciting step in the process and will help take the success of local arts to the next level.

“The success of the Arts Agenda will depend on the involvement and commitment of the Arts Forum members and others involved in the creative sector. It is important that we grow the creative side of Hamilton and a unified approach to how our city does that is vital,” she says.

The Arts Forum will be responsible for overseeing the goals set out in the Arts Agenda and leading the city’s art sector by developing, guiding and monitoring the implementation of the Arts Agenda action plan, performing as a ‘think tank’ and nurturing new ideas, providing strategic direction and brokering new city partnerships, advocating on behalf of the arts community and encouraging collaboration across arts projects.

Expressions of interest from those wishing to join the Arts Forum were invited until 15 June, with members selected by the Creative Communities Working Group and endorsed by Hamilton City Council’s Strategy and Policy Committee.

The members, who have been appointed to the Arts Forum for a period of three years, are:

  • Muriwai Ihakara (Creative New Zealand)
  • Sarah Nathan (Creative Waikato)
  • Margi Moore (Wintec)
  • Ann Hardy (University of Waikato)
  • Tipa Mahuta (Tainui)
  • Jeremy Bell
  • Rupert D’Cruze
  • Pamela Roa
  • Dorothy Wakeling
  • Eamonn Walsh
  • Julie Hardaker (Hamilton Mayor)
  • Lance Vervoort (Hamilton City Council, General Manager Community)

 

Councillor Daphne Bell, Chair of the Creative Communities Working Group, says the members were selected from a high calibre of applicants.

“We were very pleased and impressed by the high standard of applicants, making it a very difficult task to decide upon just twelve people to fill the forum positions.

“There are many exciting things happening in Hamilton’s art sector at the moment so it is great that we now have these enthusiastic and motivated people to drive the Arts Agenda."

The Arts Forum’s first meeting is expected to take place later this month and will include the appointment of a chairperson.