Arts & Culture Projects in New Zealand
Conference Celebrating Creative Spaces
Creative spaces are spaces where disabled people can express themselves. say the organizers of this upcoming conference.
The first conference of this kind to be held in New Zealand will be an opportunity for those who work within the 'creative spaces philosophy and culture to share information and support each other and their clients in the work they do.
Arts Access Aotearoa, is organising the conference in Wellington New Zealand on February 25 - 27 2003.
Conference streams include Issues and Philosophies, Show and Tell and Art form workshops, particularly in the visual, literature and craft
Workshop topics include funding; health and safety issues; copyright and intellectual property; art forms and programmes that work. A feature of the conference will be opportunities to share ideas that have been successful.
International speakers include William Cleveland, founder and Director of the Center for the Study of Art and Community in the USA
Choices have been based on art forms that create success for client groups, which include, as well as disabled people, youth, refugees and migrants and people from the justice sector.
Performers from all client groups will be participating. Dancers, actors, poets and musicians will enliven the social programme.
Arts Access Aotearoa is working with Wellington based art galleries to develop a trail of art exhibitions in the greater Wellington area. Although this is a national conference strong interest in attending the conference has come from Australia, USA, Africa and Britain, which shows that disability arts are an international hot topic.
Registration is NZ$375.00 GST inclusive for early bird by October 31, 2002 then $475.00 after October 31, 2002. This does not include accommodation. Assistance with fees is not available.
To find out more visit www.artsaccess.org.nz
Media Interrupted
Media Interrupted is the title of three half-hour radio programmes recently broadcast in prime time on New Zealand Public Radio,
The features explored the ways the media covers mental illness and related stories.
Disabled producer Mike Gourley won the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship in Mental Health Journalism which gave him the resource to produce the features focusing on the media reflecting on the media.
Mike interviewed media representatives and people with mental illness in the USA, Australia and New Zealand.
The project represents a partnership between the programme makers and mental health consumers.
The Fellowships are part of the former United States First lady's mental health programme in the USA. In an interview following the first broadcast she explained that her programme was expanded into an English speaking, but multi-cultural country. She also mentioned the New Zealand Like Minds Like Mine long term de-stigmatisation programme, which has a significant media component.
The first programme looked at media portrayals of a group of people who are 'mad bad and dangerous.' The 'otherness' and the 'them and us' mentality which colours so much reportage, was explored. The media focus on our irrational fears, and violence was identified. Everyone agreed that the stereotype of the mad axe murderer is alive and well, despite by figures which indicate the low risk.
'People never see us living well.' One person laments the invisibility of those who live full contributing lives with mental illness.
It was interesting to note that in a survey of 600 newspaper articles on mental illness topics there were only six which took the perspective of that group, and spoke with their voice.
Their voice and their stories came through memorably and powerfully on the second programme. The use of Playback theatre gave a sometimes chilling reality to their lived experiences as we heard how they see themselves. I was moved by the honesty, insight and self awareness of contributors.
Importantly this discussion includes a Maaori (indigenous New Zealanders) perspective on living with mental illness
Media Interrupted took the next step in the third programme, considering strategies to improve the situation, and how these might challenge journalistic ethics.
It considered the popularly held view that the causes of mental illness are biological, a malfunctioning brain, suggesting that if the causes were seen as psychosocial stigma would be reduced because people could more readily understand why people are as they are. Mental illness could be seen in the context of a person's life experience.
While people thought the involvement of high profile New Zealanders such as sports people and musicians in the Like Minds campaign is valuable, there was disquiet that some people would not readily identify with them. The need for local and community education was emphasised alongside the high profile media.
The use of humour and clever comedy using laughter to encourage people to consider the serious points being made was included. The successful programme at the Auckland Laugh Festival was an example.
Telling success stories, both sides of stories and incorporating people with mental illness into other stories was also suggested, with media professionals who shared the experience also having a role to play.
The programme ended on a hopeful note. It has made a thoughtful, balanced and valuable contribution to discussion on a sometimes fraught topic.
As if to prove a point I read a note in a British writer's magazine on a new book just launched about the life of one of New Zealand's most significant and internationally respected writers, Janet Frame. The writer of the article had probably never read her work, but felt moved to write
'She is someone who had to overcome a difficult childhood as well as mental problems, and the way in which she triumphed is an example for us all.'
So much for a lifetime's work of quality literary endeavour!
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