Franklin Arts Centre
Manager’s Report July 2018 - June 2019
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Programmes and participants 5 Visitor feedback 7 Highlights 9 Business plan implementation 13 Annual priorities 16
Although all reasonable care has been taken to ensure the information in the document is accurate and correct, Auckland Council does not accept any responsibility for any errors or omissions and is not liable for any loss or damage resulting from the use of such information. The contents of this document are subject to copyright and should only be copied and/or reproduced with the prior written approval of its rightful owner.
Contents
Welcome 4
“The diversity of our art scene has a platform!” ONLINE REVIEW
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As well as presenting a range of arts practices in more than 34 exhibitions and 60 free public programmes this year, the centre supports and enables a number of significant community-led events, such the historic Franklin Arts Festival and recent initiatives in film and music. Our ability to connect with communities in Pukekohe and the wider Franklin region has been increasing due to our partnerships and professional assistance, revealing the extent and breadth of talent that exists locally. Alive with everchanging experiences, Franklin Arts Centre has introduced a number of new initiatives in 2019 to widen its reach, serve its community and attract new audiences to the centre, including screenings by local filmmakers, live music performances and open mic events.
Welcome
Franklin Arts Centre is Franklin’s creative hub, connecting and enabling our community to connect, experience and participate in the arts.
We look forward to welcoming you to the centre in 2020. NgÄ mihi nui, Nansi Thompson Facility Manager, Franklin Arts Centre
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Programmes and participants
60
14,188
Programmes
Visitors / Participants
These statistics were collected throughout January - June 2019 and have been extrapolated to represent the full year.
Visitorage agedistribution distribution Visitor
Proportion Proportionofofsample sample
100% 100% 90% 90% 80% 80% 70% 70% 60% 60% 50% 50% 40% 40% 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% 0%
15 - 24 15 - 24
25 - 34 25 - 34
35 - 44 35 - 44
45 - 54 45 - 54
55 - 64 55 - 64
Agebrackets brackets(years) (years) Age
Franklin Arts Centre visitors Franklin Arts Centre visitors
65+ 65+
Franklin residents Franklin residents
Proportion Proportionofofsample sample
Visitorethnicity ethnicitydistribution distribution Visitor 100% 100% 90% 90% 80% 80% 70% 70% 60% 60% 50% 50% 40% 40% 30% 30% 20% 20% 10% 10% 0% 0%
European / Pākehā European / Pākehā
Māori Māori
Pacific Pacific
Ethnicities Ethnicities
Franklin Arts Centre visitors Franklin Arts Centre visitors
Asian Asian
Other Other
Franklin residents Franklin residents
Visitor age and ethnicity information was collected as part of a visitor satisfaction survey conducted in June 2019. Results may not represent Franklin Arts Centre visitor demographics throughout the entire year. Franklin Local Board statistics are drawn from 2013 Census results. Auckland Council research protocols exclude minors (under 15 years) without parental permission, therefore this segment has been excluded from both data sets for consistency. 6
Visitor feedback
We asked our visitors to tell us what they thought about Franklin Arts Centre and about the event or activity they had attended: 58% said it was beautiful 62% said it was educational 35% said it was emotional 84% said it was enjoyable 61% said it was inspiring 82% said it was worth going 74% said it was satisfying 61% said it was thought-provoking This feedback was collected at a sample of events throughout June 2019 and included visitors to Franklin :The Centre
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85%
82%
83%
were satisfied with the overall
felt welcome and comfortable
agreed Franklin Arts Centre makes the
experience on their latest visit
area more vibrant and attractive
69%
71%
67%
said what’s on is relevant and
said it’s easy to find out
said Franklin Arts Centre makes them feel
interesting
what’s on
more connected to their community
66%
82%
70%
said what’s on reflects
said Franklin Arts Centre’s
said they learned a new skill or
Auckland’s cultural diversity
opening hours are convenient
about a different culture/viewpoint
78%
77%
75%
said Franklin Arts Centre staff are
said Franklin Arts Centre exhibits a
agreed Franklin Arts Centre
connected to the local community
good mix of local and regional artists
supports local artists 8
Highlights
Supporting local artists Franklin Arts Centre supports emerging local artists through capacity building and mentoring. For example, every month Franklin Arts Centre hosts a meet up for artists to share knowledge and learn about professional practice. Franklin Arts Centre is enriched with local diversity by the increased programming and engagement with our Maori community. A 2018 exhibition by Raemon Matene (Te Raki) was followed by sister-in-law Denise Matene’s inaugural 2019 exhibition, Rangatahi Matter. Both exhibitions focused on local youth. Over 100 people attended each of these openings and the youth featured in the photos of Rangatahi Matter performed a rousing haka in appreciation. The exhibition received region-wide exposure as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography and was covered by local press. Both Raemon and Denise are now pursuing careers in photography and Denise will exhibit at Papakura Art Gallery in late 2020. In 2019, Pukekohe High School teacher and photographer Jessica Bluck curated the Matariki student exhibition, and her own work featured in the group exhibition When We Were Dust. A multidisciplinary exhibition by the NgÄ ti Tamaoho iwi is scheduled for the Matariki season in 2020.
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Whāriki o te Ao In 2020, emerging local artist Logan Moffat (2018 Adam
Over the last five years, Franklin Arts Centre has built
Portrait Award winner), will present a major solo exhibition
a rich relationship with local weaving group, Whāriki o
in the New Zealand Steel gallery. Moffatt’s first solo
te Ao. The group was invited to move their classes to
exhibition was held in the Community Gallery in 2014.
Franklin Arts Centre while their whare underwent repairs,
“I started doing photography when I was 10. I had a
leaving them without a place to weave.
little Hanimex camera and I started taking photos
In that time, Whāriki o te Ao and their kaikao, Emily
of the kids at my school. I have really carried on
Whyte, became a precious part of our gallery whānau,
from there, all my life taking photos, but I had never
sharing stories of Pukekohe, tikanga and skills with us and
shown them.
visitors.
I want to carry on and keep going with this. I am not
This year saw unprecedented exposure of Whāriki o te Ao
a psychologist, I can’t help in that way, but maybe
with local press and television appearances on The Hui
I can help by keeping getting their stories out there
and Māori TV. It was also great to see them exhibiting in
through photography. These photos aren’t pretty,
the New Zealand Steel Gallery alongside master weaver,
these photos are real.”
91 year-old Metekino Lawless QSM.
- Denise Matene
As a result of the weavers’ growing profile and korowai sales, the group has become financially sustainable after years of struggling with funding. Their weaving whare is now repaired and classes are no longer held at Franklin Arts Centre, but the group continues to exhibit here annually and supports us with advice and demonstrations during Matariki.
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Film and music Open Mic Nights
Franklin Film Festival
The first music event at Franklin Arts Centre was
In February, Franklin Arts Centre and Pukekohe
held at lunchtime in the gallery and delivered
Library presented a Pride film night at the gallery
by artist and musician, Dylan Lind, during his
as part of Auckland Council’s regional Proud
exhibition Te Metua, Te Tamaiti, me te Ra in May
Centres initative.
2019.
As in response to our call for expressions of
The positive response to this event led us to trial
interest, local filmmaker, Amanda Zarah,
an Open Mic Night at Franklin: The Centre as part
proposed showcasing her work at a series of film
of New Zealand Music Month and in collaboration
nights.
with Pukekohe Library.
The inaugural Franklin Film Festival was developed
The Open Mic Night attracted a youth music
by staff in collaboration with Zarah and took place
group, eight other local musicians, and members
over one week in October 2019. It featured ten
of the public came along to listen and enjoy the
short films, a gala awards night, a live Q&A panel
show.
and an interactive media installation in Franklin Arts Centre’s Community Gallery.
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Touch Tour
Franklin Arts Festival
Touch Tour was an interactive experience designed to help
Franklin Arts Festival is an annual celebration of visual
vision-impaired visitors experience a visual art exhibition
arts that showcases the work of talented artists from
through touch and sound.
across the Franklin region.
Artists exhibiting in Franklin : The Centre were asked to
Franklin Arts Centre proudly exhibited the ceramic,
replicate the materials used in their works as objects that
textile, printmaking and youth categories of Franklin Arts
sat on a ‘touch table’, alongside a braille postcard and
Festival 2019.
roomsheet designed for the exhibition.
2019 marked the addition of a special Audrey Thomas
Vision impaired visitors were be able to use their senses
Memorial Prize of $1,000, awarded to an outstanding
to understand the materials used by the artists. Then,
artist who resided in the boundaries of the Franklin Local
visitors were invited to a tour of the gallery where ten of
Board area.
the works were described by a professional audio describer explaining the art, the process, the inspiration and how it was exhibited. This initiative was a huge success with visitors and artists enjoying the opportunity to do something different and think outside the box. It also reignited ties with the New
This year, the festival exhibited more than 1,000 paintings, works on paper, textile arts, pottery, photography, wood turning, small sculptures and school artworks. » Over 3,000 exhibition visitors
Zealand Blind Foundation, connecting us with people who
» Over 1,000 entries
are rarely able to experience art in this way - some since
» 19 categories
birth. One of these guests was a former artist who had not entered a gallery or picked up a paintbrush since losing
» $28,000 in prizes » 70+ volunteers covering 100 positions.
her sight and was overwhelmed with emotion upon
Franklin Arts Centre supports the Franklin Arts Festival in
experiencing the exhibition.
multiple ways: by co-hosting the event, supplying extra staff and providing marketing support and installation expertise.
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Business plan implementation 13
Franklin Arts Centre is currently developing a business plan, guided by the Franklin Local Board Plan and community feedback. This section describes how staff at Franklin Arts Centre have prioritised actions throughout 2018/2019. » He tangata! He tangata! He tangata!
Franklin Arts Centre delivered another year of
people focussed activities and exhibitions. Our values
of inclusion and manaakitanga are practiced on a
daily basis, to welcome our visitors and to encourage
belonging and participation in the arts centre.
» Development of emerging artists and arts
practitioners in Franklin:
17 exhibitions in the Community Gallery engaged
diverse sectors of our community with exhibitions by
artists of Indian, Māori and Rarotongan descent, as well
as youth, children’s art and other local artists.
» New Zealand Steel Gallery programmes
Seven top quality regional and local art exhibitions were
presented in the New Zealand Steel Gallery this year. All
but one of these exhibitions featured local artists.
» Community led initiatives
» Regional programming
Community led initiatives supported by Franklin Arts
We participated in several regional programmes
Centre included the Franklin Arts Festival and
including Proud Centres, Artweek, Auckland Festival of
Whāriki o te Ao korowai group.
Photography and Matariki Festival.
» Youth
» Collaboration and resource sharing
We have maintained a particular focus on engagement
We partner pro-actively with our community.
opportunities for youth. We have presented three
exhibitions in the New Zealand Steel Gallery,
This year we have worked with our colleagues in the
which showcased high school art students’ work,
Pukekohe Library, Pukekohe High School, Franklin
rangatahi workshops and several exhibitions with
Arts Festival and the youth centre.
a youth focus in the Community Gallery.
We also worked with the Arts Broker for Franklin and
the Rural Halls Advisor, giving advice, support and ideas
for connecting the wider Franklin area with the gallery.
Māori youth were represented in the Auckland Festival
of Photography fringe exhibition programme, Rangatahi
Matter, held in the Community Gallery.
» Public programmes
Free public programming generates interest in our
exhibitions and encourages participation in the arts.
In 2019, these included a series of free children’s
workshops and artist-run workshops for adults.
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Local arts and artists The support and development of Franklin’s creative community will continue to be a core focus in 2020. One way we support community participation and representation is by maintaining a dedicated community exhibition space. The Community Gallery is a hired space that gives local artists the opportunity to share their work with their community and exhibit alongside New Zealand and international artists showing in the New Zealand Steel Gallery. The 2019 - 2020 New Zealand Steel Gallery programme will feature local artists in over 90% of the exhibitions. Toi Māori Growing connection with local Māori arts, artists and audiences. Relationships with local Māori audiences and youth have been strengthened in the last few years through exhibitions like Rangitahi Matter and The Mystery of Belonging Here, and our summer exhibition is a touring
Annual priorities
Focus areas
exhibition of the work of renowned weaver Matekino Lawless, Whatu Manawa. Youth Providing exhibition and mentoring opportunities in partnership with Pukekohe High School, as well as hosting drop-in workshops at the gallery for all high school students. Quarterly public programmes aimed at young people, including our open mic nights, which attract youth and give them an arts platform in Franklin to develop their practice as artists. Environment The environment is important to Franklin audiences and the Franklin Local Board who identified the outcome of ‘A well-cared for natural environment’ in the 2014 local board plan. This theme was highlighted in 2019 in the popular touring exhibition The Forest has the Blues, which was accompanied by a tree planting event during the exhibition in collaboration with the parks department. We will maintain this focus throughout 2020 in our programming activities at Franklin Art Centre. 16
A key focus for Franklin Arts Centre in the next year is the completion and implementation of the business plan including the following annual priorities: » Continued development of diversity and inclusion initiatives » Inclusion of more art forms in our programme, specifically film and music to align with New Zealand
Music Month and Auckland’s UNESCO City of Music
Strategy » Hosting the Franklin Film Festival » Continued hosting of the Franklin Arts Festival and supporting its new leadership and direction » Continued collaboration with Pukekohe Library » Repair and refurbishment of office space and Community Gallery » Continued delivery of relevant and high quality regional exhibitions, while providing opportunity and growth for local artists » Continued support and collaboration with Rural Halls Advisor and the Franklin Arts Broker in their outreach to all of Franklin » The initiation of a branding review for Franklin Arts Centre.
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CONTACT US 12 Massey Ave, Pukekohe 09 238 8899 franklinartscentre@aklc.govt.nz @FranklinArtsCentre
IMAGE CREDITS P1 - Tua by Christina Pataialii, from Like a Boss exhibition (2018) P3 - From Franklin Arts Festival 2018 P5 & 6 - Cyanotype workshop with artist Elle Anderson, as part of Forest Has the Blues exhibition (2019) P9 & 10 - Artist Denise Matene with Franklin Arts Centre and Auckland Festival of Photography staff at the opening of her exhibition Rangatahi Matter (2019), WhÄ riki o te Ao raranga workshop in Franklin The Centre foyer (2019) P11 & 12 - Open Mic night (2019), Touch Tour of Like a Boss exhibition (2019), at Franklin Arts Festival (2018) P13 - Children’s workshop for Matariki Festival 2018 P14 - Participants of Eco Printing Workshop with Forest Has the Blues artist Esther Hansen (2019) P15 - Artist Chris Wills creating work for his Cross Stich exhibition in the Community Gallery (2019), Open Mic night during When We Were Dust exhibition (2019) P17 - Opening of Take Three photography exhibition, Community Gallery (2019) P18 - Pukekohe High School teacher installs students work in Forest Has The Blues exhibition (2019)