The Arts — Arts Whakatāne

Arts, Culture, and Creativity Strategy

About Arts Whakatāne!

At Arts Whakatāne, we wholeheartedly embrace the power of creativity to transform lives and uplift our community. As a registered charitable organisation fueled by the passion of volunteers, our mission is to promote, initiate, and support projects and activities that stimulate and strengthen the artistic and cultural life of our vibrant community.

Our Commitment:

Encouraging Participation: We believe that the arts belong to everyone. We actively encourage participation from all sectors of our community, fostering an inclusive environment where individuals of all backgrounds can engage in the arts and explore other cultural and educational activities.

Promoting the Arts: We are passionate advocates for the arts. Whether the events and activities are organised by Arts Whakatāne or other talented groups, schools, or agencies, we work tirelessly to promote and showcase the diverse array of artistic expressions within our community.

Facilitating Artistic Endeavors: We understand that collaboration is key to unlocking the full potential of creativity. By facilitating arts activities that span various disciplines and involve multiple arts groups, we foster an environment that nurtures growth, innovation, and artistic exploration.

Advocating for the Arts: We believe in the transformative power of the arts and their ability to enrich lives. As advocates, we strive to highlight the importance of the arts in our community, championing their value and impact in inspiring imagination, fostering cultural understanding, and enhancing overall well-being.

Our Purpose:

Arts Whakatāne is driven solely by our love for the arts and our unwavering dedication to making a positive difference. We operate as a registered charitable organization, relying on the invaluable contributions of our volunteers who generously give their time, skills, and expertise.

Join Us:

We invite you to join us on this exciting journey of artistic exploration, community connection, and creative empowerment. Together, let's celebrate the arts, unlock boundless possibilities, and create a vibrant and culturally enriched community for all to enjoy.

Come be a part of Arts Whakatāne - where creativity thrives and our community flourishes!

Trustees

Sue Whale

Chair

Sue Whale is the current chair of Arts Whakatane. She has been a member since 1993 and has been chair before in the early 2000s. Sue has just resigned as art teacher at Whakatane High School, a position she held since 2001, most of that time as Head of the Department. Sue has also had the responsibility of recruiting and looking after international students.

Sue studied Fine Arts and Education in her hometown Hamburg in Germany and came to live in NZ in 1979. Sue taught at several High Schools in NZ and was community arts officer in Blenheim for 18 months while living there in the mid 1980s. Sue loves all the arts and has been involved with choir singing, musicals, the National Youth Drama School, school productions and community arts event management. Sue enjoys being involved with local arts people and likes bringing arts events to the community.

Beryl Wilson

Secretary

Beryl is the current Secretary for Arts Whakatāne. Beryl is the ‘dancer’ on the team. She teaches Israeli Dance and runs Beryl’s Pilates.

She’s been involved with Arts Whakatane off and on for the past decade. She has helped run the Annual Dance Carnival since it commenced over ten years ago. She has over 40 years experience in the Travel Industry, and works as a Travel Broker. Travel or course is in limbo at present which has freed up time to be more involved with Arts Whakatane.

Beryl and her family have lived in Whakatane for over 20 years, and love the beautiful environment that we have on our doorstep. The beach, the bush and gardening are where she recharges her batteries. She is an advocate for living a healthy lifestyle with nutritional whole food, exercise and wellbeing.

Philippa Hales

Treasurer

Philippa has recently become involved with Arts Whakatane first working for the Light Up Festival in July/August as accountant and very recently becoming the society’s treasurer. Philippa hold a Bachelor of Business Studies majoring in Accountancy from Massey University and has run her own accountancy practice since November 1987.

Philippa has always had a interest in the Arts particularly theatre taking part in stage productions with Theatre Whakatane (previously Whakatane Operatic Soc) from 1973 and servicing on their committee for over 30years on and off.

She has done many years of technical work for productions in the Bay of Plenty mostly in Lighting Design and also Production and Stage Management.

She spent several years learning decoupage and has any number of unfinished projects in the garage. She enjoys cross-stitch, knitting and spends any free time she has in the garden.

Committee Members

Katrina Allison - Deputy Chair

Katrina Allison, a resident of the Whakatāne Region for the past nine years, discovered her passion for quilting upon moving to this vibrant area. Inspired by her time in the United States, where she first nurtured an interest in this captivating art form, Katrina embarked on a journey to develop her quilting skills. Alongside quilting, she also delved into the realm of fabric art and oil painting, honing her artistic abilities with dedication and enthusiasm.
Throughout her artistic journey, Katrina has proudly showcased her work in several exhibitions, sharing her unique creative vision with others. Fueled by an unwavering love for art in all its forms, Katrina has become an invaluable volunteer for Art Whakatāne, channeling her passion and expertise to support the organization's endeavors.
David Glover

David has been a committee member of Arts Whakatāne since 2022. After working around the world first in marketing and then education he is now a professional director and consults through his company Creative Strategies. He moved to Whakatāne in 2021 and is on the boards of East Bay REAP, Trust Horizon and Toi EDA.
David has a Masters in English Literature from Cambridge University, is a published author and has been playing and composing music for personal enjoyment for over 4 decades.
Raeleen Van Aalst
Toni Boynton
Caroline Stewart