Earlier this month, mayors, councillors, community board members and senior local government staff from across Aotearoa gathered for Local Government New Zealand's SuperLocal conference. Jaenine Parkinson, Chief Executive of Museums Aotearoa, and Jeremy Mayall, Chief Executive of Creative Waikato, both shared a powerful message about the role of arts, culture and creativity in building strong local communities.
They made the case that museums, galleries, theatres and the creative people who bring them to life are vital infrastructure, as essential to thriving places as roads, water and parks. “Let's champion creativity as a strategic asset. Let's champion investment that matches the value being created," Jaenine said.