And if you’re interested in how $325,000 of the amount to be brought in by it will get spent (assuming the councilors rubber stamp it, which they are sure to), you can read this pdf about 10 groups to get “Social Investment Funding”, not just this coming financial year, but the following 2 years — a total of near $1 million.

Should this amount not be spent on essential infrastructure instead?

Unusually, there are no items listed on the agenda for “hush, hush, top secret” treatment.

Extracts from the latest newsletter

Winter was coming and now it is here! A change in the season since I last spoke to you and some exciting changes here at Tutere Gallery & Creative Space.

During Winter everything slows down and here at the beach that means a steep decline in the numbers of people visiting the gallery. Therefore this year I have decided to trial ‘Creative Co-working’ in the gallery spaces, more information below on this. And I have decided to change our opening hours to during the working week which will allow me some much needed family time on the weekends.

Towards the end of September our exciting exhibition schedule will kick off with “100 Days — A Journey” and we will revert back to weekend opening hours, more details below around this also.

I hope you are all staying warm and healthy and don’t forget you can always get in touch with me direct ly at:  tutere.gallery@gmail.com.

Noho ora mai, Kate Hartmann

CREATIVE CO-WORKING

As you know, Sara Boland has been our Artist in Residence now for about 3 months. It has been such a mutually beneficial experience that we decided it made sense during these slower months to open up this opportunity to others, so they too can experience what we have. Magic happens when people work creatively alongside each other, a special energy is generated. New pathways and directions open up and growth is enabled through safe constructive support.

We looked at the available gallery space and divided it up into 4 areas that people can rent out on a casual or permanent basis. Sara will remain in her space and Kate in her studio and both will be working in their studios on a Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

The gallery will also be open to the public on these days but creatives wanting to book spaces are not limited to only these days. A shared calendar  with visibility of bookings, exhibitions and classes is available to view and as we wish to limit numbers to no more than 5 artists (incl Sara and I) at one time, small numbers mean we have the ability to be flexible.

Each artist will have their own studio space, WIFI access, tea and coffee, heating, toilet facilities and if requested mentoring from Kate. By default, artists working in the space also become part of the Tutere Community and therefore will have opportunities to attend monthly artist get together’s and networking opportunities. Casual day rates are priced at $35 per space and there are discounts available if booking 3 or more days per week.

Doing something creative regularly is so important for good mental well being and thinking creatively and taking the time to be mindful in today’s fast paced world is more important than ever. I am constantly being told by the public and people who take our regular art workshops what a lovely space Tutere Gallery is to be and work in, and it really is that special. Opportunities to work in an environment like this are rare so here’s your chance to get on board. Get in touch today!

As some of you will recall, 6 artists including myself took part in the 100 Day Challenge last year. It was an amazing experience and as a result a fantastic exhibition at the end. Lisa Call and I decided we would love to share this experience with others and so we spent some time developing a program pitched at 3 different levels of participation.

We have ended up creating a brand new community of 55 people from as far afield as the USA, UK, Germany, Netherlands, Australia and NZ! It’s been so special and such a privilege being a part of this group as we each share our personal journey and work with each other. It’s all very exciting and as I write this it’s only Day 15!

Some artists opted to participate fully in the 100 Day experience and have signed up to exhibit their work at Tutere Gallery at the end of the project. I’m really thrilled with the 12 artists we have and know it is going to be an absolutely amazing exhibition. We hope to see you at the opening on September the 28th.

Taken near the west end of Queens Road.

I confess it’s with considerable relief that I’ve now cancelled my subscription to the Nelson Mail.

It’s taken me a very long time to do this (and I still must follow up my complaint to the Press Council), but I felt at this stage that I had little choice. It’s a shame to see how basically third-rate, non-objective and biased this newspaper has become – as have all in the Stuff stable, I understand,  from feedback all over the country.

Read the rest of this letter by author Amy Brooke on the Kapiti Independent News site.

This print media decline isn’t confined to NZ, but here the decline in newspaper sales has been accompanied by a decline in journalistic standards because there is a decline in journalist numbers and calibre, and the amounts editors are willing to spend on investigative journalism are very small.

In Kapiti both local freebies rely on advertising for their existence and the advertiser is king.  They know they need editorial content for the people whose mailboxes they get stuffed in (pun intended) to want to read them — but they don’t want to upset their advertisers, of which the Kapiti council is a major one.

The consequence … well, that’s pretty obvious.  And that’s why we and KIN play an important role

This seems fitting with the winter solstice having just occurred (or summer solstice depending on which hemisphere you’re in!)  An acrylic on canvas from 2008 by Karl Andrews — more info and paintings

Last Tuesday, the judge hearing the charge made against Cr David Scott involving a former staff member in April 2017 declined a discharge without conviction following the surprising jury verdict in May which found him guilty of the allegation and ordered a fine of $1,500.

David Scott says he will appeal the conviction in a bid to clear his name.  However, he says he won’t seek re-election to the council for health reasons, which isn’t surprising: a combination of diabetes, a heart condition and skin cancer plus the stress he has been subjected to following the trivial, but malicious allegation given front page coverage in both the Dominion Post and the NZ Herald.

KCDC chief executive Wayne Maxwell says what happens next depends on the outcome of David Scott’s appeal.

“Until the end of that appeal is heard, he will be on a leave of absence. During that time he cannot act as a councillor.”

If David Scott’s appeal was unsuccessful he would be disqualified from office. If that happened before 12 October 2018 there will be a by-election, he says. David Scott cannot continue as a councilor if the conviction stands.

It’s likely the appeal process will take several months, so the threat of a costly by-election — for a district-wide position this would be around $100,000 — isn’t great.  Kapiti Ratepayers should at least be relieved about that.

As mentioned earlier, we will do an exposé of what went on during the last 14 months to counter the one-sided publicity by other media in favour of the KCDC management.  Hopefully, we can complete the investigations before the end of the year.