Arts Access Aotearoa

Today I met with Arts Access Aotearoa, a fantastic organisation who’s aim is to make the arts available for those who it isn’t readily available for, such as prisoners, people who have learning disabilities, those from areas that don’t have ready access to arts activities etc. They are based in Wellington and have been generous enough to host me for two days here. Richard Benge who is the Executive Director has planned a fantastic two days for me. I’m particularly lucky to be linked up with him.

One of the aims that they have is to work with the Department of Corrections and set up arts activities within communities as well as linking in with what is happening in prisons, so that when released those who want to can continue with that they have learnt when inside. I think that this is hugely important as whilst in jail there is a very strict structure and regime, when you are released that goes. Often released prisoners find it hard to get work, and some find the sudden change from having a set routine to not having one hard. Therefore, for that reason alone, I think that community arts projects like these would be fantastic, as well as providing all the positives that participation in the arts can provide.

I met with Chris Barrand who is a visual artist, works as a prison art tutor, and at Pablos Art Studio. This is an arts facility for adults with learning disabilities, where they can come in and work on art that is then exhibited in the Roar gallery, which is connected to the studio. The gallery has a big window facing onto the street, so provides the community of Wellington the opportunity to see the art that is being created. I actually had clocked this gallery without realising what it was on my way to the Arts Access offices. One artist had his work picked up by the curator Stuart Shephard and was exhibited all over the world, as part of work created by ‘Outsider’ or as they prefer ‘Self Taught’ artists.

I was then very privileged to meet with Julian Arghanga of Awa Films, who directed the documentary ‘Songs From The Inside’. Since arriving in New Zealand and people asking me what it is I am doing here, they have all mentioned this documentary, and that is not just people who work in prisons or the arts, it’s people I have met in hostels, in a bar etc. This documentary seems to have worked it’s way under the skin of New Zealand, so it was fantastic to meet the man behind it.

The project involved working in Rimutuka and Arohata prisons, Rimutuka is male and Arohata is female. They brought in professional musicians and song writers to help the prisoners write and create music. The philosophy was that everyone has something to say, and now is their opportunity to say it. The process of this was documented into a ten part series and was shown on Maori television, although, as I am increasingly learning, even though something may be celebrating or prioritizing Maori culture, it is by no means exclusive, and is there to be shared. At the end of our meeting Julian gave me the album also called Songs From The Inside, that you can buy, that has the music that the prisoners created, as well as a copy of the documentary, which was hugely generous. I’ve not had time to watch or listen to them yet, but am very excited to do so. It looks like this project will be happening again in Auckland Women’s Prison.

After our meeting with Julian, Richard took me to Arohata Women’s Prison to meet the prison manager (which I think is the New Zealand equivalent of a Governor) Anne Abraham. Anne is inspirational, instead of saying no to things; she does what she can to make things happen. The jail is very calm and a lot of projects get to happen, she was saying that she is currently on the lookout for someone to teach ballroom and someone to teach speech and drama. As mentioned above, this was one of the prisons that Songs From The Inside took place in. I did ask about how the jail managed the end of the project, that it was such a big and amazing thing to have, but what happens after it finishes. It was explained that those involved in the project still have links with the women who have been released, and that they will regularly meet with them, and then, in turn, the released prisoners will often come and visit those who are still inside and pass on news and information, so that they still feel connected. Also, as part of their culture, at the start of the process some of the prisoners would have performed a kapa haka, as a welcome, and then at the end it is performed as a farewell, and to mark the end of a project. Anne compared it to a funeral, a way of morning the end of a project and celebrating it. She then asked if I had ever seen one, which I hadn’t. There was a group on a drugs awareness course that were graduating the next day, and therefore would be performing a kappa haka (although they were not necessarily part of the prison’s kapa haka group), so she arranged for them to perform what they were going to do tomorrow for us.

I have to say, it was slightly scary, but it was amazing. You can’t perform something like that half-baked; it was performed with confidence, pride and passion. The group who did it were not all Maori either, but it made no difference. We did ask how many of the women knew the songs that they performed before, and only a few of them did. They had been practicing for half an hour three times a week for about two months, which is really impressive. I think what is also great about the kapa haka is that the hard work that they do will pay off as you either get it right, or you don’t, and there is something cool about being part of a group that is able to speak and move as one.

Tomorrow I will be meeting with Sharon Hall who runs the Learning Connextion, which offers distance learning for prisoners, and then I will be visiting the Maori Focus Unit at Rimutaka Prison.

www.artsaccess.org.nz

The link to Songs From The Outside online… They are hoping to get the documentary on RTE in Ireland, hopefully the UK will be next…

http://www.amplifier.co.nz/release/85880/songs-from-the-inside-cd-and-dvd.html?play=85884#item85884