Around The Table Creative Bay of Plenty

This episode is about how creativity can enhance our wellbeing - and you don't have to be an artist!

We welcome around the table Jason Te Mete, Ari Grant, and Jennie Halliday, who chat with host Arpége Taratoa about the power of creativity for our wellbeing.

Hear about Jennie's work as an arts therapist with people who have experienced trauma and the healing power of art in cultivating acceptance. Jason Te Mete speaks on his experience with Tuatara Collective using theatre to empower rangatahi and rewrite narratives to place Māori youth as heroes in their stories. And Ari Grant discusses her coaching approach, and how she integrates creativity to help clients reconnect with their mokopuna (inner child) and explore new ways of expression.

Stay to the end for tips on how you can use creativity in your daily life to enhance your own wellbeing.

In this episode, new host Arpége Taratoa speaks with Amelia Walters and Beau White on the intersection of creativity, fashion, and queerness. Beau shares his personal journey with Transcend Garments and how fashion intersects with his identity as a queer individual. Amelia reflects on her colourful upbringing in Brighton and the culture shift she experienced moving to Tauranga. All three discuss the relationship between creativity and the LGBTQIA+ community, highlighting the importance of self-expression and pushing societal norms. We hope you enjoy hearing from these three fabulous individuals!

Step into the minds of the visionary leaders driving the revival of Tauranga's city centre. We sit down with Sonya Korohina, (Director of Tauranga Art Gallery), Rachelle Duffy (Little Big Events, Our Place Magazine), and Greg McManus, (Director of Museums), as they discuss the grand plans to reshape Tauranga's city centre. It's a nod to the transformative power of civic leadership - and to the importance of engaging with your community at each step of the development.

Mount Maunganui local Billie Scott got her first camera aged ten. Although she was passionate about photography, she didn't believe it could be a career and pursued science instead. Eventually spotting a gap in the market for videographers, she decided to take the plunge, teaching herself everything she needed to know. Today, Billie balances her need for a fast-paced lifestyle between creativity and sport, and an average day in her life "depends on the waves".

Esraa Muse doesn't like putting her art in boxes, but some people call her a rockstar in a garden - pretty with an edge - which also describes her singing style. This is a powerful discussion of striving for your dreams in spite of pain.