Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre has announced the next four artists to live and work in the heritage precinct in Ōtautahi. They are: Sacha Copland (dance), Shay Horay (writing), Phoebe Hurst (music), and Ron Te Kawa (textile arts). All four will create new work in their areas of practice while in residence for the period 8 April to 16 June.
This is the first of two creative residency programmes this year, and the programme is a rare opportunity for artists to develop their own work free of distractions and builds collaboration across creative disciplines.
For the public, every residency includes opportunities to engage with the artists.
The Arts Centre has been a formative part of many artists’ careers, including Shay Horay who cut his teeth busking as the Rubberband Boy. He says, “The residency is a chance for me to focus my energy on a project I have had in the pipeline for a few years, it’s an awesome opportunity. And to use The Arts Centre as a base is even better.”
Dancer Sacha Copland says, “after 20 years of choreographing and touring around the world, it feels like the right time to return home and connect with a site that fuelled my dreams as a kid.”
Two of the creative residents, Shay Horay and Phoebe Hurst (performing as Phoebe Vic) have been part of last weekend’s Off Centre festival, 8-9 March.
The Creative Residence apartment is a shared space with views over the heritage rooftops and the Botanic Gardens. When not in use by artists, The Arts Centre hires it out via AirBnB.
The Creative Residency programme for artists is funded by Creative New Zealand.