Hinds School has received $7000 from the Creative Communities Scheme to create a special sculptural artwork that tells the story and identity of the school and rohe.

It will be made from a willow tree in the school grounds that was blown over in a storm and contain glass inserts that students will create with the help of local glass artist Natasha Sim.

In the school's application for a grant, teacher Roseanne Calvert said the Ngā Kōrero ō Te Kura ō Hekeao would tell local stories and history, while giving students a sense of belonging and turangawaewae, their school and their place to stand. The glass artist will show and teach the 140 students how to tell their story through glass, then these will be embedded into a pou made from the school willow tree.

The tree was over 100 years old and a focal point of the school; it will continue to stand proudly as a pou.

Ashburton District Council administers local applications to the Creative Communities Scheme and recently gave out $40,588 to 15 groups, including the school.

Community Services Group Manager Steve Fabish said the applications were assessed by a committee of community members, including one councillor and council staff in an advisory capacity.

A total of 17 applications were received for funding requests totalling $54,432.

“Not everyone was successful unfortunately and some groups were only partially funded towards their project goals, which should ultimately encourage and foster an interest in the arts, in a variety of different ways. All the projects had great merits and made for an interesting discussion.”

Council is currently looking to fill a vacancy on its Creative Communities assessment committee, so if you have a passion for the arts and can attend two meetings a year (in March and September), then we'd love to hear from you. See the application details here.

The next funding round will be in March 2023. See all the details and deadlines here.

Other recipients in the recent funding round were:

Every Body is a Treasure Trust - $3000 to run workshops for creative and artistic young people using cellphones to teach photography, visual storytelling and creative critical thinking skills.

Hakatere Ceramics and Pottery - $700 to host its annual exhibition for members to display their art to the public, at Ashburton MSA from 19-29 November.

Magic Carpet Music Trust - $1808 to help the cost of bringing a string quartet led by award-wining musician Rakuto Kurano to Ashburton on 13 November. The concert will present both old music and new New Zealand music by young New Zealand composers and will be held at the Sinclair Centre; the Ashburton concert is one of 13 on a national tour and designed to engage with young people about life as a musician. Tickets are free for children 12 and under.

Mayfield Memorial Hall - $1000 – the hall was gifted a series of prints of the Mayfield district, many of historical buildings, and the hall board will use the money to frame them and put them on display at the hall so the community can see them.

Mid Canterbury Children's Trust - $2478.14 to run Children’s Day, a fun, free day for tamariki and their whanau to enjoy time together, at Tinwald on 5 March 2023.

Newah Guthi New Zealand - $1000 to buy materials and equipment needed to perform the Lakhye Dance, a traditional Newar community dance of Nepal. The show is about sharing cultures and inviting community groups to come together and take part.

Scout Association of New Zealand - $576 to design and paint murals on the changing sheds at Mayfield pool. The work will be done by scouts during a big national camp at the Mayfield domain in January.

Staveley Campsite Committee - $5000 for site specific art at the campsite that is based on the elements, seasons and cycles of life, all to better connect with nature.

Staveley Hall Society - $4850 to build an entry gate to the Staveley ice rink that is a work of art that will last for years. The hall society has been running for over 100 years and the rink for 60, and they expect to see over 10,000 visitors per year when the rink is refrigerated.

Wellbeing Opuke - $1200 to run a Give it a Go event to learn new skills for wellbeing, through art-based activities for the whole community.

Evening Woodworkers - $500 to run evening woodwork classes in term 4 2022 and term 1 2023, at Ashburton College, for two hours every Tuesday. The grant will pay for hire of venue and tutor.

Zonta Ashburton - $1769 to help run the Zonta Ashburton Female Art Award, which advances the careers of emerging and mid-career artists from Canterbury. The grant will pay for printing catalogues.

Mount Hutt College - $6500 for mural reflecting the local flora, fauna and culture of Methven to go on the front of the updated Opuke Hall at Mount Hutt College. Selected students will be led by local artist Karen Smith and the grant will cover paint, equipment, planning and design of the mural.

The Barden Party - $1790 to present a rockabilly version of Shakespeare’s comedy Much Ado About Nothing to an Ashburton audience. The theatre company uses live music and aims to perform in public gardens.