The Impact of Auahatanga ki te Kāinga
From January to June of 2025, the Auahatanga ki te Kāinga programme brought kai, creativity, support and connection to whānau across the 843-855, including those living in newly-opened Kāinga Ora housing.
Auahatanga ki te Kāinga was enabled thanks to primary funder WEL Energy Trust, through the Vital Impact Grant Fund. The programme was co-delivered by Creative Waikato and Community Waikato, in partnership with the passionate teams at four Kirikiriroa community houses:
Creative activity was led by local expert artists Ahsin Ahsin, Whetu-Iti Silver, Michael Tai Moore and Abigail Aroha Jensen.
The programme included:
- 5 community of practice wānanga days
- Weekly creative activities
- Monthly community whānau days
- A public performance and exhibition at Clarence St Theatre
- A public exhibition and Matariki programme of activity at Te Whare Taonga o Waikato Museum & Gallery
- An original song, ‘Auahatia!’, written, performed and recorded by tamariki and rangatahi at Wintec, as well as an accompanying music video shot at Dailies studio
- Kaumatua art workshops and exhibition
Throughout the programme, the team invited feedback and stories from the community, and these have been gathered into an impact report and documentary film. You can access the impact report below:
Last but not least, you are invited to celebrate. Tonight (Monday the 16th of February, 6pm) the community preview screening of the documentary Auaha- Creativity in the Neighbourhood will roll at the BNZ Theatre in Kirikiriroa.
Created by award winning local film maker Dan Inglis, the film showcases the creative work produced throughout the programme, and celebrates the local pride, talent and connection in the neighbourhoods of Fairfield, Melville and Glenview. The screening is free entry. See you there!
The Auahatanga ki te Kāinga documentary, impact report, and funding proposal template provide a pathway and model for future initiatives and collaborations of this kind.
To have a kōrero about Auahatanga ki te Kāinga, and how to support creativity in your community, please contact Creative Waikato: hello@creativewaikato.co.nz