26 Nov 2025
What does a community look like when arts, culture, and creativity are at its heart and supported by local government?
Taupō District has taken its first steps to find out by developing the Arts, Culture and Ngā Toi Action Plan 2022 with support from Creative New Zealand’s $30,000 Local Government Arts Fund.
At the heart is ngā toi Māori – the living arts of tangata whenua that connect people, place, and whakapapa, forming the spiritual and cultural heartbeat of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Taupō.
So why the need for the action plan?
Taupō is a thriving community with a deep local history and a reputable visual arts community. Yet, opportunities to show or develop work locally have been limited as much of the district’s identity has leaned heavily on sports and outdoor activities.
The community wanted change!
Steve Giles, Events and Venues Managerat Taupō District Council, says the action plan is about ensuring creativity is central to the area’s long-term growth.
“One of the strengths of the action plan lies in the voices behind it. It brings together our communities, iwi, and creatives to imagine a future that truly reflects our district. It shows how we can all work together to build a sustainable future. Arts, culture and ngā toi connect us to place, people, and our stories – for tangata whenua, toi Māori embodies a living connection to whakapapa, whenua, and wairua. It’s what gives a place its energy and soul,” Steve says.
The plan is anchored in mātauranga Māori, recognising that the arts and culture are inseparable from people, place, and their wellbeing.
Independent strategist, Nicola Harvey, worked alongside iwi, community organisations, local creatives and Council to develop the action plan. Over three months, hui, workshops, and one-on-one kōrero took place across Taupō, Tūrangi, and Mangakino.
When the community got together to kōrero, a few things became clear. Even with loads of local talent and some nationally recognised artists, there just aren’t enough places and opportunities to show off work or grow projects close to home. The creative scene is everywhere and nowhere; so a plan was needed to help make the arts more open to everyone.
Alongside this, the kōrero identified barriers including costs, access, and cultural fit that can make it tricky for some to get involved. Local artists and groups are the heart of the creative scene, and more visibility, collaboration, and iwi-led Ngā Toi Māori will help the community thrive while keeping local stories and culture front and centre.
To turn these barriers into opportunities, six aspirational values were identified to guide the district’s creative future:
- Visible – celebrating and proudly showcasing the region’s arts, ngā toi, and culture.
- Valued – recognising and supporting artists and the unique identity they bring to Taupō.
- Sustaining – building healthy communities by nurturing and presenting the district’s distinctive arts and culture.
- Pono – staying true to place and people, honouring Toi Māori, Tūwharetoa traditions, and the living stories embedded in the district’s landscapes, rivers, and marae
- Manaaki – embracing, supporting, and caring for the community.
- Foundational – growing stronger together through collaboration and connection.
The action plan takes a broad and inclusive view of the arts. It embraces craft and object art, literature, Pacific arts, visual arts, and ngā toi Māori, from carving and weaving to haka, waiata, and pūoro, which carry histories, tikanga, and spiritual connection. It also includes digital art, popular music, festivals, graffiti, and storytelling, recognising the full spectrum of creativity.
Creativity, in all its forms, is for everyone!
Cara Paterson, Senior Adviser, Advocacy Strategy and Engagement for Creative New Zealand, says the action plan empowers the whole community to see themselves in the district’s future.
“What’s powerful about this work is that it isn’t top-down; it’s driven by the people of Taupō. This plan gives the district a clear, strategic pathway to elevate local stories, strengthen partnerships with iwi, as well as support creatives to thrive,” Cara says.
The council has also formed a strategic partnership with Creative Taupō, a local community organisation that helps make arts, culture and ngā toi accessible across the district. With support from an arts coordinator, Creative Taupō is growing local creative communities, running workshops, supporting strategic development at Council, and working towards an arts hub where people can connect and collaborate.
In addition to the strategic partnership with Creative Taupō, the council have also provided short term additional funds to the local Creative Communities Scheme. The intention behind this was to support the implementation of the Arts, Culture and Ngā Toi Action Plan
Rebecca Kunin, Senior Advisor Investments and Arts Development, says the additional funds reflects a strong commitment to supporting the local arts communities.
“Taupō District Council’s additional investment means more opportunities for creatives to realise their ideas and for communities to participate in the arts in meaningful ways. We're pleased to see the action plan is having a direct impact on council investment in the local arts community,” Rebecca says.
The action plan is a living document that will evolve as Taupō does. It signals a future that acknowledges the impact of ngā Toi Māori to shape identity and community wellbeing and supports a shared sense of belonging.
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