Art Kitchen was a series of professional workshops focussed on building the capabilities of our art communities. 6 workshops were delivered online and 2 in person and with regular attendees across all the workshops, they provided an opportunity for connecting and network building as well. Workshop subjects included Curating; Writing Proposals; Funding Applications; Community Arts; Budgeting; Photographing artwork and On being a Practising artist.
- On Curating – Ioana Gordon-Smith
Wed 4 May 2022, 6.30-8pm Zoom
The role of a curator is essential to shaping artistic cultural production and the relationship between a curator and an artist can be pivotal in the development of an artist’s career. In this workshop Ioana Gordon-Smith will discuss curating from her perspective considering key questions for artists. How do curators form projects and find artists to work with? What does a curator look for in proposals? What are current concerns in curating today? Ioana is currently the Assistant Curator of Yuki Kihara, Aotearoa New Zealand at the 59th Venice Biennale 2022 and recently returned from Venice.
Ioana Gordon-Smith is an arts writer and Curator Māori Pacific at Pātaka Art + Museum. Prior to this role, she was the inaugural Curator at Te Uru Waitakere Contemporary Gallery. Though Ioana’s areas of interest span a broad range of disciplines, what is consistent throughout is a curatorial process that prioritises a close working relationship with artists and arts communities.
- Writing proposals – Deborah Crowe
Tues 10 May 2022, 6 – 7.30pm Zoom
This workshop focuses on practical approaches to proposal writing for visual makers. Designing a proposal framework regarding content and structure, language and budget will be covered alongside general tips, including some do’s and don’ts of proposal writing. The workshop will be interactive, including information sharing on practical strategies, discussion with peers in small break out rooms, and addressing issues raised by participants.
Deborah Crowe is a visual artist working in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. Her practice involves building 2D and 3D environments that explore architectural, spatial and environmental characteristics. Having worked for 28 years with emerging artists through senior lecturing roles and postgraduate supervision, in 2015 Deborah Crowe left institutional education and founded Crowe Creative Art Services, a small business delivering workshops, artist mentoring and art consultation.
- Funding applications – Sam Snedden
Weds 18 May 2022, 6.30-8.30pm Zoom
In this workshop we will walk through a CNZ funding application covering the important points needed for a successful application. With a wealth of experience in applying for grants Sam gives straight-up practical advice on the do’s and don’ts of applying for funding for art projects of all disciplines.
Sam Snedden has worked in performing arts and entertainment for over 15 years. He has dozens of performance credits across, stage, film, and TV including the Emmy Award winning iNSiDE (2020). He is also an award winning theater director and producer. He was manager of the Auckland’s Basement Theatre from 2011-2017 and helped transform it from a struggling theatre to a thriving, well-supported artist development hub.
- Community Arts – Bronwyn Bent
Wed 25 May 2022, 6.30-8.30pm Zoom
Find out about creating art projects in your community. This workshop will include ways of working within diverse communities, accessing funding and examples of community arts projects. This workshop is relevant for a wide range of creative activities, for example visual arts, performance, installation, public activations and festivals, all with a focus on community and relationships.
Bronwyn Bent is an arts producer and programmer, theatre maker, and community arts practitioner with experience working with creative collaborators from a wide range of backgrounds and life experiences. She has worked internationally in professional theatre and arts festivals, and locally with organisations such as Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival, Arts Access Aotearoa, Auckland Live, MENZA.
- Money Matters – Naked Accounting
Sat 28 May 2022, 10.00am -1pm, All Goods Art Space
(99 Rosebank Rd, Avondale, by the Avondale Library)
Understanding money matters is essential to sustaining a successful arts career. Robert Westall of Naked Accounting will workshop important financial skills of being a professional artist. This is inclusive to all creatives, from the visual arts to performers. Topics will include tax, gst and budgets. This session will be in person at All Goods Art Space, Avondale. Spaces are limited.
Naked Accounting is based on Karangahape Rd, and is especially supportive of creative practitioners and artists. Part of their business model is to support the creative communities of Aotearoa through discounted accounting services. Robert Westall is experienced in running successful workshops on money matters specifically for artists.
- Photographing artwork – Sanji Karu
Sat 11 June 2022, 11am – 1pm, Skar Image Lab
(1 New Bond St, Kingsland)
Photographs of artwork and creative projects are essential for documentation and can be used for a variety of purposes including proposals, funding applications, publicity and reports. This workshop will focus on some fundamental techniques in photographing artworks including set-up, lighting, cameras and digital files. It will cover paintings, works on paper, framed works and objects. This will be a practical workshop at Skar Image Lab studio in Kingsland and spaces are limited to only fifteen.
Skar Image Lab, owned and directed by Sanji Karu, provides technical services for artists, graphic designers and photographers including artwork capture. The Lab produces fine art prints and scans for personal work, exhibitions, commercial work and portfolios, offering a personalized service for clients.
- On being an artist – Yona Lee
Wed 15 June 2022, time tbc, Zoom
Joining us from the Netherlands, artist Yona Lee will share her thoughts and experiences on practicing as a professional artist. With a growing international reputation, her largest solo exhibition to date, An Arrangement for 5 Rooms, is currently on at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki. Developing a professional art practice involves commitment, strategy, organizational skills and relationship building. In this session we will hear from the perspective of an artist forging a national and international career.
Yona Lee is a New Zealand-Korean artist, born in 1986 in Busan, South Korea. She lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand, and completed her MFA at Auckland University Elam School of Fine Arts in 2010. Lee’s work has recently been the subject of solo exhibitions at the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (2018-2019); City Gallery, Wellington, New Zealand (2018-2019); and Dunedin Public Art Gallery, New Zealand (2020).
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ArtSpark
An independent initiative of artist Louise Stevenson, ArtSpark is fluid – responding intermittently to opportunities and impulses to champion and foster contemporary arts in the community – whether through teaching classes and workshops, facilitating artists or engaging local audiences in contemporary arts.
ArtSpark began in 2015 by offering art classes and workshops in Green Bay, and developed arts events such as the West AKL Artist Talks. COVID-19 impacted on ArtSpark during 2020 and 2021, however The Art Kitchen project has been brewing for a long time and ArtSpark is excited to deliver a programme that can contribute to the development of artist’s professional knowledge and skills. Resources from the sessions will be made freely available on whauarts.org.nz
