Newsletter Update March 2026
Kia Ora friends, colleagues, sponsors and our wonderful community!
Thanks for your help and for tuning in.
This is an overview of where we are at and where we would like to go for the youth of Aotearoa.
Young Innovators & Artists Unlimited
Vision
To raise the awareness of the needs and rights of young people (7-17) in Aotearoa to access to The Arts.
To Assist New Zealand communities to establish After School Art Clubs.
(See Home Page)
Mission
Creating an “Art Hub” for children and adolescents provides a transformative environment where creativity serves as a bridge to self-discovery and emotional security. These spaces prioritize the creative process over the final product, allowing young people to experiment without the pressure of perfection.
Safe social connection. These environments foster “culturally safe” spaces where youth can build meaningful friendships and develop social skills in a low-pressure setting.
Christine, A Hamilton Parent:
Why
Give our children and young people the space to be delighted, excited, investigative, explore, practice,
Break the Cycle of Trauma
Develop Empowerment & Resilience, Belonging & Citizenship
through participation in all forms of The Arts, Exhibitions & Performances
Where
Purpose built or purchased properties walking distance from Primary schools.
Existing organisations extend their operations to include space for 7-12 year olds, or up to 17 year olds, to participate in Art Clubs to explore The Arts.
Existing Community Centres, Churches, Te Kohanga Reo, find a specific place for The Arts or put a modified container next to their building, ultimately purchasing a neighbouring property to extend their ability to support demand.
Exhibition and Performance space has to be included or usable nearby.
How
Korero
Community conversations, belief and determination.
To extend the Te Kohanga Reo model of language nests to Te Kohanga Toi - Arts Nests for Seven to 17 year-olds in every community.
Community Centres, extension of services.
Community Groups, Maori Womens' Welfare League, Rotary etc work together.
Shona Hammond Boys who set up the NZ Children's Art House Foundation 30 years ago proved that this model works and has been adopted in USA and Australia's Northern Territory.
We are lucky to still be able to invite Shona for support to establish this initiative in the Waikato and arrange Co-ordinator training for our new Children's Art Clubs.
Please listen to her address to us:
Someone recently said, regarding families, youth and children's outcomes.
"We need to intervene in smarter ways."
This is it. The Arts have been taken out of children's lives, they do not participate in community, making things any more. We were all an important cog in our communities, now everything is made for us, and our young people have less satisfaction, fulfillment and pride, belonging. No Arts.
The Art of preparing a meal, mowing a lawn, sewing, knitting, gardening, passing of skills down generations. Return the grandparents to the children.
Future
We need a full time Young Innovators & Artists Unlimited Co-ordinator to work in the Waikato on community murals and Art Clubs.
An a hui later on in the year.
Let's korero.
Contact Carolyn
Phone 0274 114 842
A library in every Art Club where young people of any age can listen to stories.
Art is not a 'neruo divergence' therapy.
Art is essential soul food without which neurons don't meet. It is the connector.
Music, dance, creations, are connectors.
They connect us with our humanity, without which we are lost, abandoned, alone, adrift.
People don't need 'repair' they need connection to their inner artist and the fact that they are 'labelled' is because nobody has helped them to find their connection, their joy, their place of bliss.
Safe, sacred, art spaces.
Our sincere thanks to our sponsors
