9 November 2018

Media: Mediaworks + Newstalk ZB + Radio NZ (Checkpoint programme)

Topic: Council's proposed Child Equity Programme

Enquiry

Above media sought to interview Mayor Steve Chadwick regarding proposed Child Equity Programme which was presented to elected members during the Strategy, Policy & Finance Committee meeting.

Response

The mayor emphasised the following points:

We need to address the barriers to full participation that exist for our most vulnerable.

Simple things can have a very big impact and this would be a proactive, preventive approach to breaking the poverty cycle and the long-term implications of that.

The aim is ensure local tamariki/children living in deprivation have access to extra-curricular activities and experiences which enhance health and wellbeing and can have life-changing implications into adulthood.

We want to ensure Rotorua is a place for everyone but we know that's currently not the case with 41% of local 0-9 year olds living in deprivation 9-10

The proposal is to work with schools to co-design a programme tailored to the needs of their students

Council will also be looking at its services to ensure any barriers to accessing these are removed

The proposal received support at committee level and will now go to the full council for final approval

*NOTE: The mayor's statement regarding the Child Equity Programme can be found HERE

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Media: Rotorua Daily Post

Topic: Sculpture symposium

Enquiry

Reporter planning a story on upcoming Sculpture Syposium (starts next weekend) asked the following:

What are you looking forward to about this year's Sculpture Symposium?

- Why do you encourage people to come along and check out the progress throughout the 10 days?

- How does it feel to have participation from Switzerland and Iran this year? How do you feel about the talent featuring in this year's symposium?

Will you be judging? What sorts of things do judges look for in this symposium?

Response

From Marc Spijkerbosch, Rotorua Lakes Council's Community Arts Advisor:

This year we have a great mix of returning artists alongside new arrivals and it's always fascinating to watch sculptors create works of art from giant boulders, blocks of stone and macrocarpa logs.

The event is only held every two years, so it's an awesome opportunity to witness some very talented artists working against the clock in a variety of materials.

This will be the second time we've hosted international sculptors. A symposium is all about the sharing of ideas and techniques amongst artists, so it's great to have such a wide range and depth of talent arriving this year.

The three judges are leaders in the sculptural and carving fields, representing both traditional and contemporary styles. They will be looking for such things as concept, sculptural form, technique, originality and suitability for the public domain.