The Culture, Heritage & Arts Resources Trust
C.H.A.R.T was established in 2010, funded by WDC (Whangarei District Council), to enable the community to develop and progress long-term strategies to support and build capacity in the arts, cultural and heritage sectors. It took a collaborative approach to building programming, infrastructure and providing strategic guidance to leaders in the sectors and worked alongside thirteen major organisations within the Whangarei District.
C.H.A.R.T had an approved process to provide assistance with funding applications, governance, management support, relationships, development and community liaison within the sectors. It was a specialist resource available to Council as an advisory body and advocate on behalf of the cultural, heritage and creative industries within the Whangarei District.
“Through these activities, it contributed economic benefits to our communities.” (Chart,2013)
C.H.A.R.T established a trading component, CREATIVE NORTHLAND to promote the development of capacity in the Creative sector to the whole of Northland. It had its own board of Trustees and was the shareholder of the Old Library, which was a charitable limited company effectively operating since January 2010 and had established itself as the community arts heart and soul in Whangarei. Old Library Ltd. had its own Board of Directors and took on a 10-year lease of the building from the Whangarei District Council. (CHART AGM, Chairperson report,2012)
Capacity for the sector:
C.H.A.R.T worked simultaneously with national organisations, local bodies, and the community to develop and deliver strategy focussed on growth. The charitable organisation was inspired by recommendations from the Taapapa Toi consultation. ‘Taapapa Toi’ was a joint venture funded by the Whangarei District Council and Te Papa. The Arts, Culture Heritage sector and creative community of Whangarei called for an organisation, a Cultural, Heritage and Arts Resource Trust, which could deliver resources, services, strategic leadership and a cohesive, collaborative approach sector development. This was all brought to realisation through a consultation process undertaken by Mary Britton and the Whangarei District Council.
The founding thought of C.H.A.R.T was to build an organisation working for and with a sector which understood itself as collaborative, cooperative, forward thinking and above all, action for the sector. (Report, 2012)
It had established key community partners which assisted these sector agencies with economic, capital and professional development. To assure these stakeholders remained current and effective systems of governance and management, the success of these organisations were C.H.A.R.T’s core business – helping them with ideas of funding and assisting with writing funding applications.
Key Partners:
Whangarei Art Museum
Whangarei Youth Music
Whangarei Youth Theatre
Packard and Pioneer Museum
Reyburn House
The Paper Mill
The Quarry Arts Centre
Waipu Museum
Channel North
Te Kowhai Print Trust
Old Library Community Centre
Hihiaua Cultural Centre Trust
Whangarei Museum & Kiwi North
