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Creative ID: 404

Art form(s): Multi-disciplinary, Music, Theatre
Language(s): English, Māori
Based in: Wellington
Where I'm available:
Taranaki, Wellington
When I'm available: I'm available from 1.30pm during weekdays. I'm available on Saturdays.

My arts or creative practice (including details about my specific focus within that art form/practice and my strengths)

My creative practice is diverse. I studied theatre and have been involved in many different theatre shows and projects since graduating from University. The other part of my craft that I am just as passionate about resides in music; I have sung in bands, I play guitar, produce music and DJ. I am completely captivated by theatre and music as art forms and their ability to move and shake communities which has been my reasoning for being so involved in community focused arts and their transformational qualities.

I believe that through our creativity we can access a stronger ability to navigate our daily lives and this is what I plan to achieve through my creative practice across all mediums. I have specific knowledge and experience in leading small groups of young people and creating challenging discussions around sexual health, relationships, sexual identity and identity in Māori and Pasifika youth across high schools in New Zealand. I spent a lot of time understanding applied theatre for my role in the Sexwise programme and saw how theatre can be used to remove young people from their direct circumstance and get them to understand the world they live in and challenging situations they may come across through different story telling conventions.

A big part of applied theatre and its facilitation is the participation of a young audience in the narrative we create together around a given topic. I'm excited to use this free form way of creating story as a group to explore a number of topics we would like our young people to understand in a deeper more meaningful way. Topics like racism, sexuality, identity and relationships. My most recent endeavour in my own DJ'ing career has made me passionate about seeing more young people, especially females in this industry succeed in their own way and make a name for themselves. I have had several successful gigs myself as one of the only female DJ'S on line-ups particularly in the South Island and I would love to teach more young people this skill so they can get out there and do it themselves. I would like to give more women especially the opportunity to learn this art form from another female and offer my mentorship alongside the set of skills. 

My track record of experience and success - or the track record of experience and success of the creative or artist that I will partner with

Delivering the Sexwise programme with a theatre in education trust. Performing a 45-minute play in kura and facilitating small groups with the topic and discussion around sexual identity and sexual health. Next year I will be returning to direct the Sexwise show. Delivering a programme uncovering the identities of young Māori and Pasifika women in New Zealand as part of a Leadership Fund Grant. This was part of a grant application with Creative New Zealand which required gathering information from young brown women in schools around their own perception of their culture and using it in a larger project that resulted in a play that was by, with and for young people.

Describe the experience you have had working with children or young people, teaching or facilitating creative processes

  • 2016: Duffy Books in Homes, touring show. Talking to young people in primary schools about global warming and the importance of reading through a 45-minute play.
  • 2017: THETA, Sexwise touring show with facilitation workshops. Preparing, writing and executing a 45-minute show about sexuality and sexual health promotion in high schools around New Zealand. This included leading an hour-long workshop with small groups after the show to facilitate conversation around these topics. Using applied theatre to encourage positive conversations and assist young people in their investment in their own sexual health.
  • 2018 – 2019: Programme coordinator of programmes involving youth with disabilities. Organising and leading 2 to 5 day programmes with young people that have intellectual disabilities. Activities would be anything from preparing young people for the workforce to hiking, jet boating or white-water rafting.
  • 2019: A leadership fund, successful applicant. A three-staged project that involved using applied theatre to talk about the topic of identity. Leading groups of 10 to 20 young women in exploring their culture and perception of culture using theatre tools to provoke these thoughts and conversations.
  • 2020 - Learning Support Teacher with a local high school supporting students of all levels with their academic work and often assisting students with high needs to achieve

Why I want to be part of the Creatives in Schools programme and how my involvement will link to my creative practice

I believe that there is a huge space for artists in schools that would not only benefit students in developing themselves as artist but assist them in accessing real life tools through art. The most important life changing experiences I have had that have shaped me as a person have been a result of my involvement in the arts and my own Māori culture. I have a lived experience of the direct effect that creativity can have on mental health and a sense of identity. Not only is Creatives in Schools a perfect opportunity for high school students to have better access to art and a community of artists but also an opportunity for artists to give back to our young people.

The work I have done so far as a professional musician and theatre practitioner have been based around high school aged students and their identities, this is something that I'm passionate about. I believe there is so much more work we can do with young people that is classed as 'extra-curricular' but in fact could be just as beneficial for their life in terms of developing people skills, drive, work ethic and belief in one's self. With my creative practice I hope to bring about positive change in this way. In the music industry especially, I see a lot of negative role modelling and artists that I believe are lost for where their original passion lies; this is another aspect of my creative experience where I would like to implement change. If our young people can learn from a young age who are they are, what they are truly passionate about and where they would like that to take them, I think they will have more prosperous and fulfilling journeys as creatives.

I believe over time I have gathered some of the tools to be able to bring about change in this area of concern no matter what the medium is for our young artists. Through my chosen fields of DJ'ing, producing, acting and writing I would like to use my facilitation skills to challenge artists to think beyond what is directly in front of them and ask deeper questions about who we are and why we do what we do. 

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