In the bringing together of art and mental health, Kim Morton is a champion. Following the Christchurch earthquakes, Kim founded Ōtautahi Creative Spaces, a busy creative community in inner city suburb Philipstown.
Ōtautahi Creative Spaces mentor artists, hold exhibitions, offer professional development, do collaborative projects and "go on art adventures together" says Morton. A recent collaboration was Sanctuary with Christchurch City Libraries, a rangatahi takeover of central library Tūranga, with rangatahi unleashing their creativity throughout the library over three months. This included Muslim rangatahi making tufted rugs and Te Korimako artists creating acrylic artworks in response to the library's tukutuku panels. "As a result of Sanctuary," says Kim, "our rangatahi feel right at home there and are able to access all the incredible creative resources the library has."
Now the centre's Strategic Director, Kim Morton has long known art can change, and even save lives. She believes we need to get more creative in how we approach mental health.
Ōtautahi Creative Spaces was one of the many centres to benefit, following the onset of Covid, from a three year investment from Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, giving Creative Spaces nationally stability and increased support.
A report issued in February by Arts Access Aotearoa found that the fund resulted in a dramatic 246% increase in people attending creative spaces. By 2024 an estimated 40,000 people a year were attending the 53 spaces supported through the fund. That funding however ended in January, with calls now for more secure funding.
Kim Morton joined Culture 101.
https://otautahicreativespaces.org.nz/
