Nelson Arts Strategy
Nelson Council is looking for public input to the very important arts strategy. There is now an impressive and ambitious strategy document available to read. (Link below) There are many excellent elements but one, in particular, needs more discussion.
There are 5 ‘ Key Moves’ in the strategy and one is:
“Te Tauihutanga design and identity project. Greater recognition, resourcing, and visibility of Toi Māori in our city.”
Under this section is the following proposal:
“Development of a strong Toi Māori Plan to lift the presence of Ngā Toi Māori in the city ahead of Te Matatini through a combination of investment attraction and ensuring that at least 50% of public arts expenditure is supporting Toi Māori projects.”
This is a very significant proposal and opens up the question of whether public funding should be allocated on the basis of merit or quota allocation based on ethnic criteria.
It is also worth noting that the strategy has five ‘pillars’, one of which is ‘identity’. That section talks about the way colonisation has affected tangata whenua and Te Tauihu. The result is that the :
‘special imprint of tangata whenua of this region is not seen or heard in the way it should be.’
This is a valid point but it’s important to also recognise the identity of other ethnic groups who comprise a multi cultural community. Nelson prides itself on its ethnic diversity but there is no explicit mention in this 55 page document of their needs and aspirations in the context of the future of arts in the city.
If you want to submit an opinion on any aspect of the strategy then go to:
shape.nelson.govt.nz...
Submissions close 26th July 2022.
What word sums up 2024, neighbours?
If 2020 was the year of lockdowns, banana bread, and WFH (work from home)....
In one word, how would you define 2024?
We're excited to see what you come up with!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️