Raumati Beach Primary School children celebrate the launch of ‘life-changing’ art project

RERE to Fly, to Flow - Raumati Beach Children's Creations (poetry). from Mahara Gallery on Vimeo.

Waikanae’s Mahara Place echoed to the sound of haka and waiata when almost 160 Raumati Beach Primary School pupils celebrated the launch of an annual art and environment programme described as “life-changing” for some of those involved.

The programme, the Mahara-Nga Manu Children’s Art and Environment Project, involves 158 of the children exhibiting their art work in Mahara Gallery and 25 also performing their poetry in the Gallery on film.

It’s the seventh consecutive year that Mahara Gallery and Nga Manu Nature Reserve have worked on the project with Kāpiti schools. The theme for 2018 has been Rere – to fly or to flow, descend or dive, swoop or soar.

The project has been made possible each year with the support of the Philipp Family Foundation.

Six classes of Raumati Beach Primary School children aged between eight and ten took part this year. Since it began in 2012, the project has been delivered to 16 primary schools and involved more than 1,400 school children.

“For some children each year, it has been a life-changing experience,” says Mahara Gallery Director Janet Bayly. “It has given them new confidence, tools and skills to express themselves and explore their own unique perceptions.”

At the launch ceremony, 25 children received special awards for their work, 20 for art works and five for poetry.

Both art works and poetry have been captured in a special 84-page book that includes the children’s own comments on their work and their experience of the project.

“We owe our special thanks to all of the Philipp Family Foundation trustees for their on-going support and faith in our project and investment in the health and well-being of our young Kāpiti citizens of the future,” says Janet Bayly.

For full coverage of the event, go to the website News section here.