Creative Connections
This section of The Community Resources Directory lists groups that provide support for creatives and opportunities to engage with the arts, explore your creative side, and get involved in the creative community.
Nationwide
APRA
APRA helps music creators get paid for their work and gives music users easy ways to legally play and copy what they like by collecting and distributing royalties. Their website shares many resources for musicians in NZ.
https://apraamcos.co.nz/ | 0800 69 2772 | administrationnz@apra.co.nz
Creative Writing Otago Online Courses
Based in Dunedin, Creative Writing Otago offers a range of face-to-face or online creative writing courses designed for beginning and more advanced writers and covering Fiction, Writing Your Life, Poetry and Nonfiction. Award-winning poet, novelist and memoirist, Diane Brown is the designer and tutor for most of the courses.
www.creativewritingotago.co.nz
Music Helps
Music Helps (formerly the NZ Music Foundation) provides grants to support NZ musicians and ‘music people’ and a 24/7 support line for anyone involved in making music who is struggling with stress and distress.
https://musichelps.org.nz/ | Helpline 0508 MUSICHELPS | Office phone 09 623 4728 | peterd@musichelps.org.nz
No Lights, No Lycra (NLNL)
For anyone who wants to dance without limits or judgement, NLNL is a dance in the dark event that allows you to dance like no one is watching. This is a global movement and you can find a NLNL event near you on the website below.
www.nolightsnolycra.com/
NZ Comedy Trust
The NZ Comedy Trust works to champion comedy and laughter in NZ. They have several initiatives to connect Kiwis with comedy and support comedians in NZ including professional development resources, the annual International Comedy Festival, Stand Up for Kids, Class Comedians, and links to wellbeing resources for comedians.
https://comedytrust.org.nz/ | 09 309 9241 | info@comedyfestival.co.nz
NZ Poetry Society
The NZPS supports and promotes poets and poetry in NZ and has an active Facebook page that allows people to connect and share.
https://poetrysociety.org.nz/ | www.facebook.com/NewZealandPoetrySociety/
NZ Recreational Dance Incorporated
NZDRI is the main body for Recreational Dance and DanceSport in NZ, with two main member organisations, The New Zealand Federal Association of Teachers of Dance Inc and The New Zealand Federation of Teachers of Dance. These two associations encompass the majority of Dance professionals in NZ and cover the whole of NZ. They share an events list that contains amateur and professional competitions throughout the country and opportunities for the beginner dancer. They are ambassadors for Freedom to Dance and members of the World Dance Organizers.
https://nzrecreationaldance.co.nz/
NZ Society of Authors (PEN NZ)
The New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) works to be the principal representative for the interests of authors in NZ. They provide professional development programmes, awards and services for the writing community, including a website and newsletter that shares resources, publishing opportunities, and events of interest to writers in NZ.
www.authors.org.nz | 09 379 4801 | office@nzauthors.org.nz
Open Mic and Jam Events on Event Finder
Event Finder is a national online gig guide where you can browse for open mic and jam events happening near you.
www.eventfinda.co.nz/open-mic-jams/events/new-zealand
Performing Arts Network NZ (PANNZ)
PANNZ supports the NZ professional performing arts sector. Its core objectives are to promote and encourage a sustainable performing arts touring network, and to facilitate and develop communications networks within the professional performing arts community. They run the annual PANNZ Arts Market and provide a range of online resources to support and connect NZ’s performing artists.
www.pannz.org.nz/ | info@pannz.org.nz
The Big Idea
A website for and about the creative arts and the creative community in NZ. Read blogs, find job and volunteer opportunities, connect with other creative people and discover what creative events are happening near you.
www.thebigidea.co.nz
Auckland
Artworks Community Theatre
Waiheke Island community theatre with regular events, classes and workshops for all different ages and levels of experience.
www.artworkstheatre.org.nz/ | 09 372 2941 | www.facebook.com/ArtworksTheatre/
Auckland Music Play Group
The main aim of this Meet Up group is to have fun playing music and socializing with other music enthusiasts. Players of all abilities are welcome. Meet ups happen in a variety of different places, you need to sign up to find out specific details of what is happening where and when. It currently has over a thousand members.
www.meetup.com/auckland-music
Covert Theatre
Improvised theatre events, workshops, and training based in Ponsonby.
www.coverttheatre.com | 09 600 1877 | Email form on website
Depot Artspace
Depot Artspace is a community gallery in Devonport that provides a range of facilities, services and events that support the creative community including; Depot Galleries, Depot Sound recording studio, Careers Lab/Artslab professional development programmes, Depot Press publications, Cultural Icons video series, the Meaningful Maps project, Whare Toi – Kerr St Artspace venue and community centre, and the Arts in Action blog.
www.depotartspace.co.nz/ | 09 963 2331 | www.facebook.com/DepotArtspace
Dolphin Theatre
A community theatre in Onehunga.
www.dolphintheatre.org.nz | (09) 636-7320 | admin@dolphintheatre.org.nz
Ellerslie Theatrical Society
A community theatre group that stages events at Stables Theatre in the Ellerslie War Memorial Community Centre.
www.ellerslietheatre.co.nz | (09) 525-3336 | info@ellerslietheatre.co.nz
Franklin Writers
Meet at Franklin Arts and Cultural Centre, on Wesley Street in Pukekohe, on Tuesdays at 12.45 to 2.45 for 8 weeks per school term. The charge is $20 per term to cover room hire, workshops and writing resources.
http://franklinwritersgroup.weebly.com/ | See website for latest phone and email contacts.
Hibiscus Coast Writers Club
Hibiscus Coast Writers Club have monthly workshops and several writing competitions each year including poetry, short stories and drama, all judged externally. Members meet monthly at 1pm, 2nd Saturday of each month, Pohutukawa room, Whangaparaoa Library, The Plaza, Whangaparaoa. Visit the website to find out more about joining.
http://hibiscuscoastwriters.org/ | hibiscuscoastwriters@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/HibiscusCoastWriters
Howick Little Theatre
A community theatre group in Howick.
www.hlt.org.nz | 09 534 1401 | info@hlt.org.nz
Inside Out
Inside Out is a monthly writers open mic that gives authors of all varieties 10 minutes to share their work. Inside Out meets on the second Wednesday of every month at OC Hypatia Precinct, Khyber Pass Rd, Grafton. Poetry, fiction and non fiction and all levels of experience are all welcome.
www.facebook.com/insideout-open-mic-204711472989060/ | inside.out@hotmail.co.nz
International Writers’ Workshop
IWW aims to foster and encourage would-be writers and caters for those who wish to express themselves confidently and professionally by writing, whether it be a letter to the local newspaper, or placing a manuscript for publication. Members meet at 10am on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of each month, February to November inclusive in the Tindall Room at Lake House Arts Centre in Takapuna. As well as workshop sessions they have several competitions a year covering a range of topics and themes.
www.iww.co.nz | iww-writers@outlook.com
Mairangi Players
A community theatre group at TheatreWorks in Birkenhead. www.mairangiplayers.co.nz | 028 418 1604 | info@mairangiplayers.co.nz
Māpura Studios
Māpura Studios is a creative space offering innovative art programmes for people of all abilities, with particular care given to ensuring those with diverse needs are provided for. The sessions provide a learning process in visual arts education especially orientated to the requirements and circumstances of our artists; they also promote and encourage self-development through the vehicle of creative expression. Located in St Lukes, Auckland.
www.mapurastudios.org.nz/ | 09 845 5361 | info@mapurastudios.org.nz
Poetry Live
NZ’s longest running weekly live poetry event with a guest musician to get things warmed up, a feature poet, and an open mic where anyone can share. Every Tuesday at 8pm at The Thirsty 469 Karangahape Road. Koha entry. All welcome.
www.facebook.com/groups/37443247217/ | poetrylive.nz@gmail.com
Stand Up Poetry (SUP)
A monthly spoken word open mic held in South Auckland and on the Northshore in partnership by the South Auckland Poets Collective (SAPC), Action Education and Waxed Poetic Revival.
www.actioneducation.co.nz/community-open-mic.html | www.facebook.com/supsouth/
Studio One Toi Tu
Community art classes, gallery exhibitions, and artist work space. Studio One Toi Tu, has provided visual art programmes for the community for over 30 years. They are all about making art accessible and providing opportunities for participation in the visual arts.
www.studioone.org.nz/ | (09) 376 3221 | 1 Ponsonby Road, Newton
Titirangi Theatre Company
A community theatre in Titirangi based at Lopdell House.
www.titirangitheatre.co.nz | contact@titirangitheatre.co.nz
Toi Ora Live Art Trust
A live arts trust for people who have experienced mental unwellness at 6 Putiki Street, Grey Lynn. Their focus is on creativity in its many expressions, rather than on mental health. They run heaps of free creative classes—music, art, writing, mosaic and more.
www.toiora.org.nz | 09 360 4171 | info@toiora.org.nz | www.facebook.com/toiora
Waitakere Writers Group
The Waitakere Writers Group meets on the second Saturday of each month (excluding January) at the St John Hall, 247 Edmonton Rd, Te Atatu South, 1.30 – 4pm. They welcome new members. Writing expertise is not a prerequisite – just enthusiasm.
https://www.waitakerewriters.co.nz/ | Email contacts on website.
Word – The Frontline
An annual inter-school poetry slam run by Action Education and South Auckland Poets Collective for young people across Auckland.
www.actioneducation.co.nz/word—the-front-line.html
