Papakura Arts web site goes live

Papakura District Council has established a new website, www.papakuraarts.co.nz, dedicated to promoting arts in the district.

The aim of the site is to create one source of arts news, views and information about events, arts groups and activities. A feature of the site is an arts directory. Performing and visual artists, potters, sculptors, curators, art historians, producers, singers, dancers, actors and arts business located in, working in or living in the district are invited to submit a profile.

One of the first local artists to provide a profile for the PapakuraArts website is Layne Waerea of Bottle Top Bay in Karaka. While she had initially studied to become a lawyer, Layne later added a visual arts degree to her University time. Now, she works as a visual artist, specialising in photography and animation.

Layne recently saw an advertisement for a community arts project in Papakura developing a project for a Road Safety awareness programme.

"Having only just moved to Papakura at the beginning of the year, I thought that this was an excellent way to merge into a new community; to get in and do what I love, and to work with some of the community where I live. The people that are helping along the way are what make Papakura special. I feel new...and I feel welcome.”

“I love 'PapakuraArts' because it's always current and it’s a very contemporary way to stay informed and be seen. Creative networking is essential."

The project she proposed involves working with local schools to produce short films on road safety themes that will be shown at Papakura Art Gallery in July 2008. The public will then be able to vote on the short film they feel best addresses the chosen road safety issue.