Connections Through Culture
We’re pleased to announce that Artspace Lifespace have been awarded a grant from the British Council Connections Through Culture (CTC) grant programme Auckland which supports eight New Zealand-UK collaborations. The CTC is a platform fostering vibrant collaborations between artists in the United Kingdom and Asia-Pacific. The programme supports 84 innovative projects, eight of which are collaborations between participants from the United Kingdom and New Zealand, fostering stronger partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region.
Our project title is There is No Place Like Home, Kia mau ki te tokanga nui-a-noho. Artspace Lifespace will provide collaborative space for contemporary dance practitioners, led by New Zealand choreographer Dr. Tia Reihana (pictured), Diverse Arts Network, and Cleo Lake, to create a dance piece inspired by the urgency of the climate crisis. Through choreography and workshops, we will explore indigenous art practices and environmental narratives, raising awareness and inspiring action on sustainability and migration.
The 2024 grantees represent a dynamic mix of projects across diverse disciplines, including film, creative technology, literature, visual arts, theatre, dance, design, fashion, craft, and music. The array of collaborative efforts across borders and artistic disciplines will lead to new thoughts and ideas created to address global challenges such as diversity and inclusion and climate change.
The CTC provides funding to enable artists and cultural organisations to bring their creative visions to life. These grants aim to build lasting cultural partnerships between the UK and Asia-Pacific regions that transcend borders, fostering dialogue, innovation, and mutual understanding. The British Council’s Connections Through Culture Grant Programme stands as a testament to the organisation’s commitment to cultivating international artistic connections and promoting the exchange of ideas and creativity.
This year’s grant cycle marks an exciting milestone as the programme expands to include South Asia, welcoming grantees from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka alongside those from Australia, New Zealand, China, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Vietnam.
It’s exciting to see the vibrant artistic links being forged between the United Kingdom and New Zealand through our Connections Through Culture grant programme. These cross-cultural exchanges demonstrate how artistic collaboration can transform individual creative practices and spark new possibilities. The range of projects we’re supporting highlights the extraordinary innovation that emerges when artists from different cultural backgrounds come together, strengthening the fabric of our global creative community.
Natasha Beckman, Director British Council New Zealand and the Pacific.
For more information see www.britishcouncil.org.nz