Auckland’s arts community turned out in force on Tuesday night for a meeting about how the arts are being considered in the Auckland Transition Authority (ATA) planning work for the new regional Super City.

The meeting was called by Artists Alliance and more than 100 people attended at TAPAC Theatre, Western Springs, on September 1. 

Invited guests were Nikki Kaye, National MP Auckland Central and member of the Auckland Governance Legislation Select Committee; Phil Twyford, Labour spokesperson on Auckland Issues and Colin Dale, a former Chief Executive of Manukau City Council and the ATA member charged with overseeing ATA’s Community Services work stream.

First up was a quick large group exercise to identify all the different relationships and connections that the arts have with local authorities. Almost 30 were offered ranging from the obvious, e.g. venues for artists and companies, and events sponsorship, to the not so obvious, e.g. rent relief, arts policy staff and contract employment.

We were then asked to call out our concerns and there were many that came forward during the meeting including:

• The review of the Local Government Act and the impact that any removal of the cultural and social wellbeing provisions will have on what the Super City will be required to do.
• The potential lack of recognition and understanding of the contribution that the arts make to local, regional and national economy.
• Concerns about what happens to the respective LTCCPs (10-year plans) under both the ATA and the new Super City council, and the implications for current longstanding commitments to arts groups as well as long term strategies and development for the arts in the Auckland region.
• Possible trends towards privatisation of assets.
• Loss of existing expertise, experience and connections within the existing Councils.
• Loss of local identities and flavours.
• Potential additional pressure on Creative New Zealand.
• Re-litigation of existing consents.

It was mooted from the floor that the new Council could provide the opportunity for a regional arts policy and this was considered to be a potential positive outcome.

All three guests said that the meeting had provided new information and depth to their existing knowledge about the arts in Auckland. Colin Dale said that ‘arts & culture’ sits under ATA’s Community Services work stream. He said ATA is working within the framework of the Local Government Act’s four wellbeings at the present time. He acknowledged that while lots of issues being addressed currently have a political component, he and his team can influence. Colin said that the new Council, to be elected in October 2010, will decide what the priorities are.

Nikki Kaye said that she was discussing similar concerns with other sectors.  She said that her commitment was to ensure that there was a good process of communication between the arts community and ATA; however until more decisions had been made by Government, it was difficult to say what that process would be.  She accepted that the sector did not believe that its issues were being addressed. She urged the sector not to wait until 2010 to have a regional arts policy and that work should start now.

Phil Twyford said that the creation of the Super City and the review of the Local Government Act occurring in the same time-frame does pose a significant threat. He was concerned that Local Government Minister Rodney Hide’s definition of core services would leave out the arts. Innovation in the arts could also be affected as there was, he said, a strong focus within ATA to prevent a blow-out of the cost of amalgamation.

It was agreed by all who attended the meeting that a further meeting would be called as soon as possible to advocate for, amongst other things, the establishment of a sector driven advisory group to work with ATA and in time, the new Super City council.