Two new initiatives have been launched by New Zealand's Arts Regional Trust Te Taumata Toi a Iwi (ART), in an effort to make the Auckland region a more exciting place to live. The trust, established with NZ$6 million in capital by the Manukau and Auckland city councils in 2001, believes that its future growth should be developed through creativity. 'ART's first two initiatives reflect the co-operation and innovation that Auckland and Manukau cities demonstrated in setting up the trust,' said chairman Hinemoa Elder. 'They also reflect an in-depth understanding of the volume and diversity of arts practices across the region... It makes perfect sense that the funds available are used in establishing the frameworks and networks needed to support this extraordinary range of culture.' The trust's first initiative, 'Creative Solutions Toi Whenua', is an arts partnership between local authorities from the cities of Auckland, Manukau, North Shore and Waitakere, in collaboration with the Community Employment Group and with funding support from Creative New Zealand. The project will investigate ways in which the Auckland region's creative infrastructure can be improved. 'The creative sector is full of ideas, and the people involved are ideas-rich,' commented Hinemoa. 'What we have seen in the business sector is that often ideas need incubation and guidance to develop. That is the basis of this far-reaching project.' Ideas for the Maori creative sector will also be incorporated into the initiative. However, there is also another program, entitled 'Toi Whenua', which runs parallel to Creative Solutions and which will work with Maori people from across the region to develop collectives drawn from iwi, urban Maori and Maori artists. Meanwhile, the second initiative to be undertaken by ART is ArtWeb. Developed in conjunction with tertiary provider UNITEC, ArtWeb will aim to engage the Auckland community in the creation of a new urban landscape influenced by the arts, sciences and the environment. 'ArtWeb brings artists and environmental designers together to contribute the urban development of our region,' Hinemoa commented.