Sue Whale
Chair, Arts Whakatāne

Arts are an essential part of our community

I loved reading the wonderfully supportive and positive "Art and civics Whakatāne-style" article by David Stewart, Beacon, April 11.

Yes, there are a lot of very creative people living in the Eastern Bay and they make pottery, paint murals and pictures, craft inspiring objects, make sculptures, write books and music, perform theatre and musicals, create fibre art, carve wood and stone, dance and run workshops.

Our world would be drab without the arts and yet some councillors call the arts “nice to have but not essential”. We beg to differ. They won't put any money to this aspect of a healthy and vibrant community and the Arts Hub project has disappeared into obscurity after much consultation and the writing of an arts strategy.

Meanwhile, the arts community carries on to create health and wellbeing for many.