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Community Services Committee
19 June 2024
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Community Services Activity Report June 2023- April 2024
Department: Executive Leadership Team
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 The
Community Services Committee provides oversight of community assets, community
development and community wellbeing across arts, culture, community development
and recreation services.
2 This
report updates the Committee on some key Resident Opinion Survey results and
provides activity reporting from the following areas:
a) Dunedin
Public Libraries.
b) Dunedin
Cultural Facilities - Art Gallery, Toitu, Lan Yuan Chinese Gardens and Olveston,
c) Dunedin
City of Literature.
d) Creative
Partnerships.
e) Community
Partnerships.
f) Housing.
g Events.
h) Parks
and Recreation.
3 Each
area has provided an activity overview, key highlights, challenges, trends and
issues over the period June 2023 to March 2024.
4 Some
highlights for the 2023-24 period detailed in the report include:
· Library:
Te Pahi Pukapuka, our Bookbus continues to do great work in the community
expanding our Library outreach and attending events such as the annual
Christmas Parade, the South Dunedin Street Festival, and the Moana Nui
Festival.
· DPAG:
The Marilynn Webb – Folded in the hills a highly successful retrospective
exhibition of Webb’s work and accompanying 240-page hardcover book.
This continues the DPAG’s leadership nationally in committing to major
research-led retrospectives. The exhibition is now touring to Christchurch Art
Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū. The book was a finalist in the 2024 Ockham New
Zealand Book Awards.
· City
of Literature: 2024 is the City of
Literature’s 10th birthday year. Staff are planning key
activities to take place as part of this significant celebratory year.
· Creative
Partnerships have developed and are delivering a new Creative Capability
Workshop Programme for early and mid-career artists specifically designed to
provide practical skills in areas such as budget development, contract
management, and copyright protection.
· Community
Partnerships continues to deliver a professional and engaging service to
our community. One standout area (amongst many) is the work the team are doing
alongside the Otago Youth Council, championing a youth perspective across
Council work.
· Housing: Recent collaboration
and engagement with practitioners in the homeless sector in St Thomas-Elgin,
Canada, who have been successful in reducing homelessness.
· Events: During
the twelve months leading up to March 2024, the Events team has facilitated and
assisted with 81 applications and bookings for local community events, three
commercial music festivals, and 11 major or premier events.
· Parks and
Recreation continue to receive positive community
feedback about the new pool, Te Puna o Whakaehu; and about our facility upgrades undertaken for the Women’s Football World Cup.
The work completed in upgrading these facilities is now benefitting the wider
sports community.
· The Dunedin City Council now has two 6-Star
Gardens of International Significance, The Botanic Gardens and Lan
Yuan Dunedin Chinese Garden. Lan Yuan was awarded the 6-star rating in late
2023 for the first time.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Committee:
a) Notes the Community
Services Activity Report for June 2023 to March 2024.
BACKGROUND
Residents’ Opinion Survey (ROS)
5 The
ROS is a monitoring tool utilised by the DCC to collect statistically reliable
results on residents’ satisfaction with DCC services and facilities and
perceptions of Council performance. It has been commissioned by the DCC every
year since 1994 in varying forms and provides an annual snapshot.
6 The
ROS asks respondents to rate their satisfaction levels on a scale from 1-10
from very dissatisfied to very satisfied. Results are now provided to
Council in quarterly reports. Some key ROS results have been included as part
of the Community Services activity reporting.
Some Key ROS Results
Sense of
Community
7 Table
1 shows the level of residents’ perception that there is a ‘Sense
of community within their local neighbourhood’ over the last year.
Overall Satisfaction ratings for Parks, Reserves and
Open Spaces, Sports and Recreation Facilities and Public (Cultural Facilities)
8 Table
2 shows satisfaction rates across Parks, Sports Facilities and Cultural
Facilities over time 2016-2023.
Satisfaction with Cultural Facilities
9 Table
3 shows satisfaction rates of users across Cultural Facilities April 2024
(YTD).
Satisfaction with Sporting and Recreational Facilities
10 Table
4 shows satisfaction rates of users across Parks and Reserves and Open Spaces
April 2024 (YTD).
Satisfaction with Sport and Recreation Facilities
11 Table
5 shows satisfaction rates of users across Sport and Recreation Facilities
April 2024 (YTD).
Support for Festivals and Events
12 Table
6 shows support for ‘City Festivals and Events’ over the previous
year.
DISCUSSION
DUNEDIN PUBLIC
LIBRARIES ACTIVITY REPORTING
13 At
a high-level the Dunedin Public Libraries operational activities are summarised
below.
Overview of key
library activity
14 Table 7
shows Total Physical Visits to all Libraries in the network over the last 3
quarters, showing an increase in numbers over the previous year.
15 Table
8 shows Physical Visits at the City Library over the last 3 quarters, showing
an increase in numbers over the previous year.
16 Table 9
shows Physical Visits by Branch Libraries over the last 3 quarters, with
numbers largely remaining steady.
17 Table 10
shows Total Physical Issues over the last 3 quarters, with an increase in
physical issues over the previous year.
18 Table 11
shows Physical Issues at City Library over the last 3 quarters, with an
increase in physical issues over the previous year.
19 Table 12 shows
Physical Issues by Library Branch over the last 3 quarters, with an increase in
physical issues over the previous year.
20 Table 13
shows Total e-Collection Issues over the last 3 quarters, with a slight
increase in e-Collection issues over the previous year.
21 Table 14
shows Free WIFI Usage at City Library, showing a steady rise in WIFI usage on
the previous year.
22 Table 15
shows Free WIFI Usage by Library Branch over the previous 3 quarters of
2023-24.
23 Table 16 shows Numbers
of Community Outreach Programmes Delivered over the last 3 quarters.
24 Table 17
shows Number of Participants Attending Community Outreach Programmes over the
last 3 quarters.
Library highlights
25 Heritage
Collection
· Reed
Gallery Exhibitions – The Glory of Print (10 November 2023 to 25
February 2024)
· The
exhibition The Glory of Print was an exhibition celebrating printing specimens
from Gutenberg onwards and featured a wide range of continental European and
English printed books and leaves, showcasing the progression of printing
history in Europe from 1450 to 1800 with the highlight being the Dunedin Public
Library’s Gutenberg Bible leaf, that was printed c.1455.
· In
November 2023 the current Polish Ambassador to New Zealand, HE Grzegorz Kowal,
made a special trip to the Dunedin Public Library in recognition of 250 years since
the arrival to New Zealand of two Polish Naturalists, Father and Son, Johann
and Georg Forster. The Forsters were onboard the ‘Resolution’ with Captain
James Cook. Their famous book published 245 years ago “Observations
Made During a Voyage Round the World” is in the Dunedin Public
Library’s Heritage Collection.
· The
Heritage Collection received a bequest from the estate of Emeritus Professor
Colin Gibson, to assist in the upkeep of and additions to the Colin Gibson
Hymnology collection.
26 Te
Pahi Pukapuka – Book Bus
· Te
Pahi Pukapuka, our electric Bookbus enjoys many outings across the city,
outside its normal routes. Te Pahi has participated in such events as the
annual Christmas Parade, the South Dunedin Street Festival, and the Moana Nui
Festival. Te Pahi attracts a lot of interest from the community both
young and elderly with the seating area of the bus often becoming a place of
respite & relaxation for all.
Library Challenges
27 The library
has experienced disruption to magazine supplies, either because the titles
cease publication or the supplier goes out of business, which has resulted in
gaps in the collection.
28 Ongoing
access to conservation supplies and treatments continues to be a concern. Library
staff continue to explore other options for supplies and treatments in an
environment of shrinking availability, options are increasingly limited and
alternative treatments are likely to be more expensive.
29 Events held
in the library that have resulted in strong community reaction have also proved
challenging for library staff. There is good national support available for how
libraries manage such community events and staff have welcomed support from the
wider DCC organisation.
Library Trends and Issues
30 Increase in online usage is
a rising trend across New Zealand public libraries, particularly post-COVID.
Dunedin libraries eBooks and eAudio collections continue to increase in
popularity. Issues of these items now account for 14.8% of the total
issues, compared to 13.7% for the same period (Q1-Q3) of the previous year.
31 Library staff
are finding that more people are approaching them to help set up digital
devices, including accounts, having been sent to the library by stores selling
the devices. Other examples include Countdown sending its customers to
the library for help set up their new Everyday Rewards accounts, and central
government departments sending clients to fill out application forms. Staff are
always ready and willing to support our community and this trend is something
the library is monitoring and working with agencies on.
CULTURAL FACILITIES: ART GALLERY, TOITU,
LAN YUAN AND OLVESTON ACTIVITY REPORTING
32 At a high-level
the Dunedin Cultural Facilities operational activities are summarised below.
Overview of cultural
facilities key activity
Exhibition Highlights
33 The
Hallenstein Legacy: 1863 – 2023 - 2023
marked the 150th anniversary of the founding of Hallenstein
Brothers. The success of the business afforded the extended Hallenstein
family great wealth, and many were lovers of arts and culture, astute
collectors, and generous benefactors to the Dunedin Public Art Gallery,
Toitū, Tūhura Otago Museum, Dunedin Public Libraries, Hocken Library,
and the University of Otago Special Collections Library. In November a series
of exhibitions was launched at each of these institutions to showcase
selections of treasures donated by the family, serving as a reminder and
celebration of the exceptional cultural resources held within Ōtepoti
Dunedin.
Dunedin Public Art Gallery
34 Huikaau
– where currents meet: In October 2023, the DPAG team in
partnership with members of the hāpori from Ōtākou and
Puketeraki Rūnaka opened this new collection exhibition to the
public. The exhibition is innovative and inclusive, celebrating the rich
history of the Gallery art collection and its many different connections to the
community. Huikaau was developed by DPAG staff working in collaboration
with mana whenua and supported by a wide range of stakeholders including the
Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society.
35 Artists
Residency Programme: The DPAG operates a residency programme funded by
Creative New Zealand, which brings two artists to Ōtepoti Dunedin each
year: one international artist and one from elsewhere in New Zealand.
36 Shared
Aspirations by Taloi and Marilyn Havini, from Australia and
Bougainville respectively, was a significant opportunity to work with Taloi, an
artist who is widely acclaimed internationally. Their exhibition built on
strong links to Ōtepoti Dunedin, specifically in the Pacific Arts community,
Corso, and those with connections the Bougainville independence movement. This
exhibition reinforced our institutional commitment to bringing the
world’s leading contemporary artists into our community for the benefit
of local audiences.
37 Suite
2023: This regular exhibition surveys contemporary art practice in
Otepoti Dunedin as part of an ongoing commitment to support artists in this
community and provide a national platform for their work. Suite 2023
featured Motoko Kikkawa, Madison Kelly, Kate Fitzharris, and the collective
Small Measures. In the months since this exhibition, Kelly has been selected
for a major early career contemporary artists exhibition Spring Time is
Heartbreak at Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū; Kikkawa has
received a residency opportunity, and several of Fitzharris’ works have
been acquired for the DPAG permanent collection.
38 Marilynn
Webb – Folded in the hills. In late 2023 we launched a
retrospective exhibition of Webb’s work and accompanying 240-page
hardcover book. This continues the DPAG’s leadership nationally in
committing to major research-led retrospectives, to consolidate and expand
national art historical discourse and celebrate the careers of important
artists. The exhibition created a space for visitors to learn about Marilynn
Webb’s significant career, to assert her art historical importance
through new writing, and to create an enduring record of her career. The book
was shortlisted as one of the four finalists for the Ockham New Zealand Book
Awards, the most significant national platform for recognising excellence in
writing and book production. The exhibition is now touring to
Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū.
Toitū Otago Settlers Museum
39 Transport
& Technology displays. The refreshed displays ON THE MOVE
and MONSTER TO MINIATURE opened to the public in late November. This
exhibition has been very popular since it reopened. Feedback has been
universally positive, with visitors reporting they are very happy to be able to
visit some of their old favourites, such as the Tiger Tea bus again.
40 Digital
Content: Toitū staff have created 53 episodes in the “Our
Pioneers of the South series” following the successful launch of the
“Journey to New Edinburgh” film. This series has received over
40,000 views, with excellent feedback received so far. We continue to
screen the Journey to New Edinburgh film in the Research Centre and it
can be viewed in episodes from the website through a new portal called Watch.
41 Toitū
staff also completed 7 Talking Pictures episodes. These are released on
the Toitū YouTube channel and focus on the Toitū art collection and
variously feature stories about artworks, the artists and the lives of the
people or the scenes depicted.
Programme Highlights
42 Dunedin
Pride: In March 2024, to celebrate our third year partnering with Dunedin
Pride, Toitū hosted a community quilt project. This project reimagined the
museum's signature quilt collection in a modern queer context.
43 Toddler Time: From
July 2023 to April 2024, over 300 visitors attended Toitū’s monthly
interactive pre-schoolers programme. Each month, a different museum theme
is explored, ranging from music and transport to Dunedin’s printing
history. These are brought to life with crafts, storytelling, music, play and
dance.
44 A Toitū Christmas:
Toitū is the place to spend December in the lead up to Christmas.
‘A Toitū Christmas’ – is our annual Christmas
celebration showcasing the much-loved Pixie Town display, which also
includes photos with St Nick, children’s crafts, musical performances,
cake decorating, and museum trails.
45 Festival collaboration and
live children’s music edu-tainment Toitū continues to
participate in the city-wide Wild Dunedin Festival of Nature, including the
popular free live music performance hosted by children’s entertainer Suzy
Cato. The event in April was a collaboration between local performers,
Department of Conservation, and the Sea Lion Trust to provide a series of
activities and performances.
46 Josephine’s (151st)
Birthday Each year an eager crowd of train enthusiasts gather in October to
celebrate the first running of Josephine, the double ended Fairlie locomotive
displayed in the Toitū foyer. This year several performers entertained
visitors, and train-themed crafts and games were offered for visitors. Just
under 1000 visitors took part in these celebrations.
47 ANZAC Day Toitū
continued the ANZAC Day tradition of opening at the conclusion of the dawn
service at the Cenotaph and offering visitors a warm beverage and an
opportunity to visit the Otago Roll of Honour and other commemorative military
displays in the Museum. As part of the ANZAC day programme the Museum
also screened several documentaries and other programmes made by Toitū
staff.
48 Moon Festival et al. In
2023, Chinese Language Week, the mid-Autumn/Moon festival, Lan Yuan’s 15th
birthday, and Chinese National Day lined up and led to a series of events from
September 6th – October 1st. These included
lectures by James Beattie, gold panning demonstrations, steamed bun and
dumpling workshops, lantern workshops, garden trails, children’s tours,
and community performances on the final day of celebrations. Approximately 800
people took part in the celebrations.
49 Chinese New Year 10,000
visitors attended the annual Chinese New Year festivities at Lan Yuan in
mid-February. An evening lantern festival two weeks later concluded the
New Year celebrations.
50 DPAG Art Night Art
Night was the first late-night style event at the gallery since 2021. It had a
fun, relaxed atmosphere, and offered a rare chance to visit the gallery and
take in the exhibitions during the evening. The event also featured a
screen-printing activity, food and beverages for purchase and live music.
Education
Highlights
51 Dunedin
City Council holds an ‘Enriching Local Curriculum” Ministry of
Education contract to deliver programmes at the DPAG, Toitū and Lan Yuan,
or via our outreach service at schools or early learning centres. These
programmes offer wide -ranging and bespoke learning outcomes in all curriculum
areas.
52 This
reporting period 9604 ākonga, or students, participated in one of our ELC
programmes. Table 18 below, shows the number of students attending ELC
programmes by schooling group.
Outreach Programmes
53 Schools
continue to face challenges in visiting our museums due to the cost of bus hire
and competition for buses during cruise ship season. In response, the education
team have expanded the Museums Outreach service, focusing on schools on the
waiting list and those identified as priorities by the Ministry of Education,
with some additional visits for specific professional development needs.
54 The
team have developed activities and programmes to compliment the curriculum
which encourage teamwork, abstract thinking, and critical analysis. This model
has increased engagement, particularly among reluctant learners and students
with neurodivergent or learning difficulties.
55 Other
programmes involve process-based drawing sessions to encourage creative
expression without judgment. These mindful, multi-sensory activities have been
highly engaging for all students, including those with physical challenges, and
can be easily incorporated into daily classroom programs to improve confidence,
encourage creativity and problem-solving, as well as promote well-being.
Cultural Sites
56 Visitation
DPAG visitation has been negatively affected by the vacant café space
adjoined to the Gallery foyer formally occupied by Nova.
57 Maintenance
and capital upgrades Staff have recently completed significant maintenance
to Toitū exhibits following a very busy summer. We are now focussing upon
capital equipment upgrades including new interpretation screens in the
galleries, new data projectors and a comprehensive exhibition lighting update.
58 Asbestos
As part of routine work, Toitū collections staff team began investigating
asbestos-containing materials in 2022. Historically, asbestos was used in items
such as Bakelite, flooring materials, and heat-resistant products so can be
expected in collections relating to social history. This investigation
also found asbestos-containing dust in some collections, most likely from past
storage buildings. We are working with DCC colleagues and contractors to
develop a methodology for identifying and remediating the affected storage
areas and anticipate beginning this work in late 2024.
Trends and Issues
60 Visitation
A total of 473,611 people visited the Cultural Facilities this reporting
period. Toitū has experienced a large increase due to a busy
cruise ship season, the newly opened Transport and Technology Gallery and the
popular Christmas activities in December.
ŌTEPOTI HE PUNA
AUAHA - DUNEDIN UNESCO CITY OF LITERATURE ACTIVITY REPORTING
61 At a
high-level the City Literature’s operational activities are summarised below.
City of Literature key activity
62 Ōtepoti He Puna Auaha Dunedin UNESCO City of
Literature celebrates local original writing
in te reo Māori, English and all other languages, including fiction,
non-fiction, children’s books, poetry, spoken word, scripts for theatre
and film, and lyrics. The team also works to progress UNESCO’s 17
Sustainable Development Goals to improve outcomes for communities and the
planet. Participation in Creative Cities programmes offers the chance to shine
a light on Ōtepoti’s extraordinary writers on the world stage. In
partnership with tangata whenua, the team collaborates with writers,
illustrators, publishers, libraries, booksellers, arts practitioners, community
groups, festivals, galleries, tertiary institutions, and pre-schools, and runs
free hands-on workshops in primary schools. The
Director sits on the Executive Group for the Cities of Literature network.
63 2024
is the City of Literature’s 10th birthday year, below is an
update on key activities that are planned to take place as part of this
significant celebratory year.
· June 2024: City of
Literature South D Poet Lorikeet Jenny Powell works with Rudolf Steiner School
intermediate students to edit their poetry from earlier free workshops. The
City of Literature will publish a collection for students to take home to their
whānau.
· City of Literature South D Poet Lorikeet runs free
workshops for SuperGrans, and City of Literature will publish a collection
including artworks in response by Studio 2 artists for poets and artists to
keep.
· Free workshop for Dunedin Youth Writers Association by
Peter Bakowski, from Melbourne City of Literature, during his personal tour of
Aotearoa.
· July: NanoFest (10 to
14 July) – Supporting a free book event connecting science and the
arts.
· August: Small Press
Fest –
Supporting the printing of a bespoke publication produced in free Festival
workshops.
· 23 August: National
Poetry Day free birthday celebration, all welcome, in partnership with NZ
Society of Authors and Dunedin Public Libraries, spotlighting local poets and
featuring local jazz musicians who will respond to poems.
· September/October:
Supporting Prof Liam McIlvanney, Centre of Irish and Scottish Studies, on a
programme to celebrate his Scottish writers visiting Ōtepoti. Close collaboration
planned with Edinburgh City of Literature and under the umbrella of the 50th
Sister City Anniversary.
· NZ Young Writers Festival (12 to 15 September):
Collaborative event to celebrate the tenth birthdays of both organisations.
· October: Collaboration
with nationwide short story competition run from Ōtepoti, At the
Bay
· Ōtepoti Writers Lab 5th birthday anthology support.
· November: First-ever
resident from Aotearoa for the Caselberg Trust Margaret Egan Cities of
Literature Writers Residency.
· Publication of two legacy books with contributions from
Cities of Literature, which will remain in print for prizes and special gifts, Savoir
Faire and The Heat is On.
· 1 to 17 December:
Sustainable Development Goals social media campaign with the other Cities of
Literature, which will see our birthday logo alongside the SDG of the day to
showcase books by Ōtepoti writers and our city around the world.
City of Literature Highlights
64 Connections:
Jakarta Content Week (8 to 12 November 2023) – The City of Literature was
invited by colleagues in Jakarta City of Literature to send books for Jakarta
Content Week. This was an opportunity to shine a light on our writers and city
in a display area created for us in the trade fair by the Jakarta Office. The
books were in front of tens of thousands of Jakarta’s publishers,
literary agents, booksellers, writers, and readers.
65 Connections: International Mother Language Day (21
February 2024) – As part of an international campaign the
City of Literature was proud to share a waiata, ‘Huia Te Aroha’,
written in te reo Māori by young musicians Te
Atarau Cassidy, Jordyn Katipa-Martin, Chanse Peita and Monique Tahere and
performed by He Waka Kōtuia; translation to English by Komene Cassidy.
66 Collaboration: World Poetry Day (21 March) – As part of an international campaign with the other 52
Cities of Literature around the globe, the City of Literature announced a
special collaboration with the SuperGrans. City of Literature South D Poet
Lorikeet, teacher, and award-winning poet, Jenny Powell, will offer SuperGrans
Dunedin staff, volunteers, and their community a series of free poetry
workshops over six weeks as a way of saying
thank you for their great mahi in the community. Jenny also delivers free City
of Literature workshops to primary school students using popular Teddy as her
muse.
67 Sustainability:
Caselberg Trust Margaret Egan Cities of Literature Writers Resident 2024 – Award-winning
poet Alison Glenny was selected by the judges from a strong field and will be
welcomed to the Caselberg House in Whakaohorahi/Broad Bay from the start of
November till mid-December this year. Alison, who lives on the Kāpiti
Coast and has previously published two collections of poetry, is an eco-poet
and is eager to form strong connections with the Ōtepoti landscape and
community.
68 Innovation:
To commemorate the bicentenary of Lord Byon’s death, the City of
Literature contributed an original artwork to Nottingham City
of Literature by Ōtepoti’s award-winning illustrator and
writer David Elliot. David's artwork brings to life the haunting tale of the
Black Friar of Newstead Abbey, Byron’s ancestral home in Nottinghamshire,
a place of eerie, captivating history which inspired much of his poetry.
David’s artwork hangs in Byron’s dressing room,
seemingly just the place for a ghostly Friar. The piece will be returned
to Dunedin City of Literature at the end of the year and gifted for permanent
display in our City Library
CREATIVE PARTNERSHIPS ACTIVITY REPORTING
69 At a
high-level Creative Partnerships operational activities are summarised below.
Creative Partnerships key activity
Community Engagement Summary
70 Creative
Partnerships engagement with the arts community involves working and
collaborating with organisations and individual artists. Staff also deliver a
creative workshop programme and deliver a range of presentations within the
community. Creative advocacy is also a key part of promoting the creative arts
across the city and staff undertake this work through a variety of activities
outlined below.
a) Regular
contact to provide updates, assistance, and advice to over 40 external arts
organisations.
b) Personal
assistance and advice provided to over 200 creative practitioners.
c) Creative
capability workshop programme delivered through February to March 2024. These
have included workshops on Budgets, Creative Business and Copyright and IP.
d) Presentations
were delivered to:
· Professional
Practice, Dunedin School of Art
· Funding options,
Vaka Tautua
· New Pāsifika
student welcome, Business School, University of Otago
· Professional
Pathways, Te Pukenga
· Creative Careers,
Otago Samoan Students’ Association University of Otago
· Inspiring Futures,
Queens High School
e) New
collaboration opportunities were developed with:
· Te Pukenga:
Design project, Bachelor of Visual Communication
· Studio 2:
Bath St/Lower Stuart St hoardings
· The Big Idea:
MOU, resource sharing
· University of
Otago: HUMS401 Performing Arts intern
· University of
Otago: Kickstarter Māori & Pāsifika student introduction to DCC
f) Creative
advocacy including promotion of Creative Partnerships work was undertaken via
interviews with Otago Access Radio and Radio One; over 300 @aratoiotepoti
Instagram stories were shared promoting local creative activities, businesses,
and practitioners.
g) Creative
Partnerships attended several events across the city to promote Dunedin’s
Creative Arts including a presence at Otago Polyfest, International Secondary
Schools Welcome 2024, South Dunedin Street Festival, Moana Nui Festival, CNZ
Funding Hui, CNZ Resource Launch and Pasifika Navigators of Tomorrow event.
h) Creative
Partnership publish a quarterly newsletter Toi Oho, over the last year
newsletters have gone out in July and December 2023; and March 2024. LINK
Creative Grants Summary
71 Table 19
above, shows the Proportion of Contestable Grants Funding Allocated Per
Artform. This table provides a picture of which artforms, and applicants are
successful in accessing grants funding, and helps staff prioritise outreach and
engagement. As seen in the above table, theatre and music receive the highest
proportion of funding across all grant types. When the influence of the Dunedin
Symphony Orchestra and Professional Theatre funding is not present, this
proportionality shifts, although theatre continues to receive the largest
allocation overall.
72 Over
2023-24 (YTD) staff have administered 95 arts applications across 6 DCC funding
categories and allocated $590,305 in total funds to the arts community.
73 Staff track
specific arts grant funding allocations each round, and this feeds into annual
statistics which cover the period from the establishment of Ara Toi (2018). The
full data set includes the following grants: DCC Arts, CNZ Creative Communities
Scheme, DCC Professional Theatre Fund, DCC/OCT Arts Capability Fund, Bring It
Home (NZ on Air programme, discontinued 21/22).
Creative Partnerships Highlights
74 The
Ōtepoti Live Music Action Plan was formally adopted by Council in
September 2023. Within current budget and staff resourcing parameters, staff
are working on both business-as-usual and new actions contained in the
Implementation Plan.
75 Ongoing
work by the team has seen a steady increase in grants funding applications and
allocations to Māori and Pāsifika creative activities, and Dance
projects since 2021. These three areas were identified as significantly
under-represented in arts grants allocations over the period 2018-2021.
76 The
development and delivery of a series of six Creative Capability Workshops for
early and mid-career artists specifically designed to provide practical skills
in areas such as budget development, contract management, and copyright
protection. The schedule of workshops ran from February – June 2024 and
national representatives from Copyright NZ and NZ on Air donated their time and
expertise and travelled from Tāmaki Makaurau to take part in specific
sessions.
Creative Partnerships
Challenges
77 Prioritising
workstreams equitably and balancing the needs of diverse practitioners and
audiences across all forms of creative expression. This is especially important
given that Council processes favour those with knowledge, time, and cultural
capital to work within them: the voices and concerns of this group are
privileged.
78 Creative
communities or individuals who are unfamiliar with Council systems and are
reluctant to voice their requests and concerns in public are systemically
disadvantaged and by default their requirements are deemed less important.
79 Managing
public perceptions and expectations of council’s role and ability to
provide solutions when problems are multi-factorial. Economic, cultural, and
social changes may be under-represented in public discussion of issues.
80 Limited
resource to conduct meaningful research into what forms of support would best
suit diverse creative and cultural groups and organisations.
Creative Partnerships
Trends and Issues
81 National
Context
· The national arts
and creative sector brought $16.3 billion to the country (4.3% of GDP). The
rate of arts sector growth was 5.3% (cf 2.9% growth of total economy).
· Arts sector GDP
for the Otago Region in 2023 was $125M. Workers in the arts are more likely to
be self-employed than workers in New Zealand as a whole (39.8% cf 15.9%).
82 Central
government arts funding
· Creative New
Zealand has funding of $70 million for the 2024/25 financial year; this
comprises a $16.7M Government contribution and $52.8M from the New Zealand
Lottery Grants Board.
· The level of
funding CNZ receives from the government has not changed since 2006; the CPI
has increased by 52.6% over the same period.
· After much
criticism from across the creative sector, CNZ has completely reworked the way
in which its grant funding is allocated and assessed. The focus has shifted
from funding specific projects with a final product to supporting the core
business of being a creative practitioner. Use of the funding is flexible and
multi-year funding is available. This has been welcomed by artists.
83 Local
Context
· New music venues
Moons and Pearl Diver have opened in the city; mid-sized venue Errick’s
is currently going through consenting processes in the hope of reaching a final
capacity of 500. Yours continues to host a range of all-ages gigs.
· After a dip in
grant applications for arts projects over the Covid-19 period, applications for
DCC Arts and CNZ Creative Community Scheme grants have returned to pre-Covid
levels.
· Arts organisations
have stated their desire for access to multi-year funding through the City
Service grants mechanism.
· The lack of a
professional performing arts venue remains keenly felt and there has been a
decline in semi-professional and professional theatre performances in the city.
· Anecdotal evidence
suggests that the high costs of travelling to Dunedin and of venue hire in the
city is prohibitive for amateur and professional performers across artforms
(dance, theatre, music).
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS
ACTIVITY REPORTING
84 At a high-level
Community Partnerships operational activities are summarised below.
85 Community
Activity
· The team has processed 121 Grant Applications that delivered just over $893k
across DCC Community, City Service, Place Based, Small Projects and
Neighborhood grants.
· Delivered on 4 Funding Clinics
with Otago Community
Trust and Department Internal Affairs
· Supported Council Mandated
Advisory Groups:
Dunedin Former Refugee Steering Group,
Disability Issues Advisory Group, Social Wellbeing Advisory Group by providing administration support, advice
and delivering on key actions
e.g. refreshing Action Plans.
· Delivered on 8 bi-monthly workshops for Place Based Community
Groups.
· Delivered on 8 bi-monthly meetings for the Ōtepoti Community Support Network.
· Delivered quarterly meetings
for the Ōtepoti Pasifika Communities Support Network, the team is transitioning to work directly
with Pasifika groups.
86 Youth
Activity
· Offering support to Dunedin Youth Council.
· Ōtepoti Youth Council Rangatahi Survey – so far collected
300+ responses.
· Championing youth
perspective.
· Hosted the Dunedin Youth Council annual hui in Feb 2024,
which identified 3 strategic goals for 2024:
· Better Interschool Relationships.
· Improved Safety & Wellbeing at the Bus Hub.
· Drink Driving/Getting Home Safe After a Night Out.
· With the Dunedin Youth Council, the team offered
community support at the Bus Hub during late May/early June and provided a warm
presence for youth while they were grieving.
· Managed Aspiring Leaders applications and process.
87 Enviroschools
Activity
· The team supports 35 Ōtepoti/ Dunedin based schools. They work
with teachers and students to transform their environmental ideas into actions.
· The DCC supports this work as it aligns with the Council’s
commitment to sustainability and supports youth and community wellbeing.
· In Otago, Enviroschools have now been running for 21 years, an
achievement which was recognised and celebrated in Dunedin’s Edgar Centre
in September 2023. They run 4 hui each year with school groups.
· During 1 July 2023 – 31 May 2024: Enviroschools have engaged
with 3644 students on waste minimisation, contributing to over 1256 hours on projects.
88 Enviroschools
Hui
As well as supporting individual schools, the team hosts 4 Hui each
year:
· Year 7-10 student hui – 16 August 2023. Ecological Building: 8
schools. 40 students. 5 external – DCC, Cook Brothers, CDC.
· Year 4-6 Student hui – November 2023. Kai For Everyone and
Everything. 4 schools. 60 students. 20 external – DCC, ORC, Botanic
Gardens, Orokonui, MFE, Our Food Network, Dunedin Beekeepers Club, Heart
Foundation, Garden To Table.
· Senior Secondary Student Hui – March 2024. Your Voice –
connections with local volunteer groups and inspiring young leaders. 9 schools.
45 students. 10 external groups/individuals – Trade Aid, Presbyterian
Support, Task Force Green, EnviroNZ, DCC.
· Teacher Hui – May 2024. Our Changing Climate 2. Actions to
help decrease carbon emissions. 13 schools. 20 teachers. 10 external –
DCC, SDHB, Heart Foundation, Otago Polytechnic, Organics Unearthed, EnviroNZ,
Stitch kitchen, Dunedin Fringe, Yours Café, Infinite Clothing.
89 Taskforce
Green Activity
· Manage Firewood Project – collection, spit and deliver to
people vetted by social agencies as most in need.
· Supported 120+ projects across Dunedin and across DCC departments.
· Delivered 8000+ hours supporting DCC and community services.
· In January-February 2024, Tasforce Green delivered 29 projects and
2710 voluntary hours.
90 Keep
Dunedin Beautiful Activity
· In partnership with KDB Trust – staff offered education
opportunities to the community about waste minimisation and recycling
initiatives, sustainability best practice, and coordinated environmental
projects.
· The included clean-up events, tree plantings, and beautification
programmes such as graffiti removal and community murals.
91 Key
Activities Include:
· Trees for Families Event in May 2024.
· Maintenance and upkeep of plants – ongoing.
· Supporting clean ups in the weekends – ongoing.
· Managing KDB Awards.
· Submitted resource consent for Welcome to Dunedin mural.
HOUSING ACTIVITY REPORTING
92 At a high
level Housing operational activities are summarized below:
93 A
full update report was provided to the April Community Services Committee. This
report provided a comprehensive overview of ongoing work.
94 Recent
Highlights:
· The
current webpage has been cleaned up, and the resources on land use will shortly
go live.
· Collaborated
with Mr Mayor to present DCC’s work in the housing sector highlighting
opportunities to help address homelessness to the Minister of Housing.
· Training
has been held for stakeholders in Outcomes Star (the database for homeless
work) with 38 people attending and more sessions planned. The NGO and charity
places were fully funded by an anonymous donor via The Gift Trust.
· There
has been recent collaboration and engagement with practitioners in the homeless
sector in St Thomas-Elgin, Canada, who have been successful in reducing
homelessness.
· The
Principal Policy Advisor has recently presented to several groups, including
Altrusa, and is scheduled to speak to the University Club and Zonta. These
popular presentations are held regularly and are crucial in connecting the
council's work with residents and community groups.
COMMUNITY EVENTS ACTIVITY REPORTING
95 At a high-level
Community Events operational activities are summarised below.
Event Team
Activities
96 Being
ourselves
· To foster genuine
connections and bolster our community, the Events Team has organised an array
of free civic events, inviting community members to unite and celebrate in
their diversity. These events not only showcase local talent, performers, and
contractors but also actively encourage community engagement and participation.
· In the past year
leading up to March 2024, the Events team successfully organised and delivered
fifteen free civic events, which included New Year's Eve celebrations, Mana
Moana festivities, and the Christmas Tree Lighting. Additionally, the team
collaborated with major city events such as the FIFA Fan Zone, the
Women’s World Cup Trophy Tour, and the P!nk concert, delivering eight
complimentary activations for the public to enjoy.
97 Getting
the basics right
· For events to
flourish in the city, the Events team offers a variety of avenues for support.
A user-friendly toolkit, prominently featured on the DCC website's homepage,
comprehensively addresses all organiser requirements. Regular updates guarantee
alignment with current compliance regulations. The team also provides practical
guidance, liaising with organisers, addressing inquiries, and suggesting
optimal event scheduling to maintain a bustling city calendar.
· Between July 23
and March 24, the Events team allocated over $600,000 in Events grants to
organisers. Out of this, roughly $79,000 supported community events, while
$526,000 was designated for major and premier events.
98 Aiming
high
· To ensure Dunedin
continues to be a great destination for hosting events and attracting visitors,
the Events team is embarking on a review of the Festivals and Events Plan. The
proposed strategy involves splitting the plan into two distinct components: a
Community Events Plan and a Major Events Plan. The Community Events Plan will
concentrate on supporting local organisers and civic events, fostering
community engagement and participation. Meanwhile, the Major Events Plan will
outline a strategic approach to attracting and executing significant events in
Dunedin, aligning closely with the goals of Destination Ōtepoti. This
division of the plan aims to enrich the city's event landscape while catering
to the diverse needs of both local residents and visitors. A scope of
this work is currently being developed for consideration.
99 Putting
the word out
· The Events Team
leads a collaborative approach in planning, promoting, and executing the city's
events. The City Coordination Meeting serves as a platform where various city
stakeholders, such as Dunedin Venues, Otago Regional Council, FENZ, Dunedin
Airport, as well as representatives from local retailers, bars, hotels, and
motels, convene to ensure comprehensive awareness and active participation in
planning to activate the city.
· Furthermore,
the team closely collaborates with Dunedin NZ and DCC marketing to ensure
effective and widespread promotion of the city's events both locally and
nationally.
100 Enhancing
skills and resources
· To cultivate the success of city events and empower organisers
with knowledge and support, the Events Team collaborates closely with them,
identifying skill gaps and offering tailored training workshops. Additionally,
the team offers guidance and assistance in funding application processes,
ensuring that applications are robust and positioned for optimal outcomes.
101 Making
it work for Dunedin.
· Collaborating
with events that contribute positively to the city is a fundamental motivation
for the Events Team. Whether it's the staging of internationally acclaimed
events such as the FIFA Women’s World Cup or high-profile concerts like
P!nk, both bringing significant economic benefits, or community-driven
initiatives with strong social and environmental missions like Wild Dunedin, a
concerted effort is made to integrate them seamlessly with the city's identity.
Through close coordination and collaboration, these events are not only
nurtured to thrive but also meticulously aligned with the city's unique
offerings.
· During
the twelve months leading up to March 2024, the Events team has facilitated and
assisted with 81 applications and bookings for local community events, three
commercial music festivals, and 11 major or premier events. The team has
provided multifaceted forms of support to ensure the success of each event and
to maximize their positive impact on the community.
PARKS AND RECREATION
SERVICES
ACTIVITY REPORTING
102 At a high-level Parks
and Recreational services operational activities are summarised below.
Parks and Recreation Services key activity
Aquatics
103 Highlights
· Te Puna o Whakaehu. Te Puna o Whakaehu
is in its first year of operation and through to the end of March we have had
120,739 total visits. With 3 months remaining we have already had nearly
84% of the expected 140,000 visits based on the business case for the pool.
· Table 20 below shows Pool visits per month at Te Puna o Whakaehu
July 2023 to March 2024.
104 Challenges:
· Pool space. Demand for pool space across all our aquatic facilities at peak
times is a constant challenge. We have competing sports like water polo,
diving, underwater hockey, synchronized swimming all competing for deep water
space along with our aqua jogging population, casual users and aqua aerobics
classes.
· Construction
closures. Refurbishment work continues at Moana
Pool. Some of this work requires areas of the facility to be closed for
the duration of parts of the project. This proves challenging for staff and
public as there is disruption and temporary changes to people’s daily
routines, available space or activity.
105 Trends and Issues:
· Aqua aerobics remains popular often hitting the cap numbers for
classes.
· Weekend swimming lessons across all facilities remain the most
popular time slot for families.
· The gym at Moana Pool continues to prove popular with 70,000 visits
from 1 July 2023 to the end of March 2024 and has 1131 current active
memberships.
Sportsbook
& facilities bookings
106 Highlights:
· Staff have had positive feedback from facility users since the
upgrades from the Women’s Football World Cup. The work completed in
upgrading these facilities is now benefitting the wider sports community.
· We have had no cancellations of sport due to field closures in the
last 2 years which reflects the work staff and contractors are doing to
maintain the fields despite the high use and demand on them.
107 Challenges:
· Aging facilities and an increase in demand at peak times including
from different sports that are not currently catered for in Dunedin. An
example is table tennis who currently use the Edgar Sports Centre but demand
for space there means they are no longer able to leave tables set up and are
currently looking for a new home.
· Sports clubs are facing increased operating and insurance costs
which means some are struggling to maintain their facilities. This leads
to more requests for council assistance and support in maintaining or replacing
club owned assets.
108 Trends and Issues:
· Graph shows the high level of winter sports bookings for the season
(April to end of August).
· Summer bookings for Touch, Softball and Cricket increase across
February/March as School/College terms begin.
· Table 21 below shows sports fields and facility bookings from July
2023 to March 2024.
DCC Cemeteries
and Crematorium
109 Trends and Issues
· Since 2 of the large funeral director companies have opened their
own crematoriums, we have seen a significant decrease in the use of the council
owned cremator. The reduced number of cremations coming through the DCC
owned facility is making it more difficult to meet the revenue finance policy
for the activity.
· Average number of bookings by month were 34 for Cremations, 45 for
ash interments and 9 for burials.
110 Challenges
· Aging buildings which will require investment, the challenge is with
the reduced capacity coming through our facilities is there justification for
completing the required works. A paper will come to council in time for
the 9 year plan around the Anderson’s Bay Crematorium.
Botanic garden
111 Highlights
· Achieved 6-Star
‘Garden of International Significance’ as a result of the New
Zealand Gardens Trust completing their two-yearly assessment including the
standards of maintenance, garden design elements and diversity of the plant
collections held at the Botanic Garden.
· Achieved
Accreditation from the Zoos and Aquarium Association of Australasia following a
comprehensive audit and assessment process aligned with our process and
practical management of bird welfare. This is a two-yearly accreditation cycle.
· At the Aviary 17 Kākā chicks
have been raised and fledged over the course of the 2023/24 breeding season. Of
these 2 have been dispatched to Project Janszoon in Abel Tasman National Park,
12 are destined for Orokonui Sanctuary. The remaining 3 will be assigned to
other facilities as directed by the Department of Conservation in their
oversight of the Kākā Captive Management Programme.
· A new Gazebo has
been constructed in the Rhododendron Dell. This provides a valuable multi use
facility for visitors to the Dell which was made possible as a result of
bequest funding.
112 Challenges
· The Botanic Garden has partnered with Department of Conservation and
BGANZ, Botanic Gardens Australia and New Zealand in a nation-wide initiative
called ‘Species on the Brink’ to protect and propagate some of New
Zealand’s and locally, Otago’s most threatened plant species,
currently - Craspedia "Cape Saunders /Craspedia argentea / Solenogyne
christensenii also; Lepidium banksii from the Marlborough Sounds and
Metrosideros bartlettii from Northland. This work is exciting and
presents a challenge for staff in terms of protecting and propagating these
threatened plant species.
Parks and
Planning
113 Highlights
· As of May 2024, we
have 30 community groups across Dunedin that are engaged in habitat restoration
by planting, weeding, and controlling pest animals, and creating better
recreational spaces for the community by maintaining tracks, cleaning up
rubbish, and providing educational opportunities for schools. We have inducted
8 new groups this year, while continuing strong connections with the existing
groups.
114 Challenges
· Funding is the biggest challenge for our community groups. We
support them as much as possible by providing training, equipment rental, and
we provide volunteer celebration opportunities, however they still need funding
to cover such things as plants, materials, and petrol for volunteers.
· In the wider volunteer space across the country, volunteers tend to
look for ‘one-off opportunities’ rather than a long-term
commitment. The traditional way of volunteering is changing as people get
busier and the majority of volunteers are those with full-time work or working
parents with kids.
· Catering towards one-off volunteers is challenging as you need to
offer induction every time, be flexible in offering various roles, and provide
more supervision. Groups would prefer long-term committed volunteers to reduce
those challenges, but also need to be flexible in this trend so they can still
get the work done.
City Sanctuary - Predator
Free Dunedin
Overview
115 The
City Sanctuary – Predator Free Dunedin project is in its fourth year of
operation. Predator control traplines are now active across all Dunedin’s
city reserves, many of which are managed by volunteers. To support the reserve
trapping programme, the City Sanctuary residential trapping project also spans
the city.
116 Together
a dense network of predator control devices has significantly reduced the
number of possums and rodents across the city. Volunteers and backyard trappers
are pivotal to the success of the project, as is community buy-in and advocacy.
Nationally, City Sanctuary leads the way for best practice multi-species
trapping methods in urban environments.
117 Table
22 below shows the total number of volunteer hours for the period July 2022 to
March 2023 was 8,734.6 (1091.8 workday equivalents). For the July 2023 –
March 2024 this increased to 13,746 (1718.25 workday equivalents).
118 Table
23 below shows the total number of possums, rodents, mustelids and hedgehogs
removed from reserves and backyards during the period July 2022 to March 2023
was 2792. There was a slight increase in catch rates during the period July
2023 to March 2024 to 3438, which can be attributed to the increase in
volunteers for this period.
119 Highlights
· The City Sanctuary
team is proud to currently support nearly 200 volunteers, 500 backyard trappers
and 7 community trapping groups across the city. One of our highlights has been
the successful nesting of titiponamu in our predator proof nesting boxes in
Ross Creek reserve. This shows that the predator control work we are doing is
having a positive effect on our biodiversity
120 Challenges
· Staff resource and
budget constraints pose an ongoing challenge for City Sanctuary. Our trapping
programmes are highly popular and backyard trapping is in high demand. We are
often inundated with requests and try to prioritise in order to achieve our
predator free milestones.
OPTIONS
121 As
this is a report for noting, there are no options.
NEXT STEPS
122 The
next Activity Report will be presented to the Community Services Committee in
October 2024.
Signatories
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Author:
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Jeanette Wikaira - General Manager Arts, Culture and
Recreation
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Authoriser:
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Sandy Graham - Chief Executive Officer
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Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit with purpose of Local Government
This decision supports democratic local
decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.
This decision promotes the social,
economic, environmental and cultural well-being of communities in the present
and for the future.
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Fit with strategic framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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✓
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☐
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☐
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Economic Development Strategy
|
✓
|
☐
|
☐
|
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Environment Strategy
|
✓
|
☐
|
☐
|
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Arts and Culture Strategy
|
✓
|
☐
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☐
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☐
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Future Development Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☐
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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☐
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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✓
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☐
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☐
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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☐
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☐
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☐
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The refresh of the DCC’s four wellbeing strategies
is a critical piece of work that is overseen by the Panel.
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Māori Impact Statement
Alignment of the four wellbeing strategies with Te Taki
Haruru is central to the work updated in this report.
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Sustainability
Alignment of the four wellbeing strategies with
Council’s commitment to sustainability is central to the work updated
in this report.
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LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure
Strategy
The activity updates reported are included in the 10 Year
Plan and Annual Plan.
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Financial considerations
The activity updates reported are within existing budgets.
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Significance
This is considered low in terms of the Significance and
Engagement Policy.
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Engagement – external
As this is an activity update report, no external
engagement has been undertaken.
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Engagement - internal
As this is an activity update report, no internal
engagement has been undertaken.
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Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.
There are no identified risks.
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Conflict of Interest
There are no known conflicts of interest.
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Community Boards
Any specific issues are discussed with the appropriate
Community Board.
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