Week 3 and 4 - Too much talent!

Selecting  Murray Hickman as our first Creative Resident was a great choice.  His love of drums and percussion is evident in every conversation, rehearsal and session we have. Murray has been able to enthuse and ignite our drumming creatives into thinking of new work and new directions to take there compositions. Murray's own journey while here has seen him connect with people who have traditional cultural knowledge of beats and the craft of drum-making. He has worked closely with Mo,  Mark Short and Katu Teiti to build and develop his composition for the BIG BANG work which is the opening event to the 2014 New Zealand Festival of the Arts. Last week we set up the residency house as the rehearsal space for some particularly talented young drummers to rehearse set pieces with Murray. What magic that was to watch kids as young as 6 blow Murray away with their talent but also to observe Murray teach and extend these kids abilities and techniques. This week we are recording and have again opted to set the residency house up as the studio with Mo rigging and transforming the space to give us great sound. We have bought in Tane Mussell and Te Ura Studios to record and Lennie Hill is on board to film.

This Residency is one that has started with the right ethos and support now we want to see this as an annual fixture in the Pacific Creative calendar with more artists sharing knowledge and practise. The fact remains that Motone will continue to extend the Cook Islands perception and experience of what Arts and Culture is, bringing our art into the contemporary context and showing that careers can be made in the arts.

It  always amuses Mo and I when friends and family look on at what we do and although appreciative often don't understand the level of business planning and management required to make things like this happen. Arts is often viewed as just a fun hobby or something that isn't real work. Undervalued and misunderstood but enjoyed when it is there by many. So my shout out today is ARTS IS A BUSINESS - it should not be undersold. Every component of a show, song, CD, film, exhibition, etc takes project management, budgeting, marketing, contracting, negotiations, report writing, event management, health and safety etc..... Arts are profitable not just financially but also in building better attitudes, addressing issues, building careers, giving communities voices, providing education and true and expressive job satisfaction.  Arts create professionals it can and is a career. Work on things you love and here at MOTONE WE LOVE THE ARTS! 

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