Keep an eye out in August for a new pilot residency programme being held at Ōtaki beach.
Local community organisation Kia rerekē te hua, Ōtaki or In other words, Ōtaki (IOWŌ), has just concluded a nationwide search for professional storytellers to stay for up to 10 nights in community-provided bach accommodation. In return, the storytellers will share their ideas and inspiration with the local community as part of community events held during their stay.
“Ōtaki is a magnet for people exploring new ways of thinking about people, community and the environment, as we can see by initiatives such as the Te Mauri Ha free food cafe at Ōtaki beach,” says IOWŌ representative Jacqui Simpson.
“This exciting pilot residency programme is about establishing a way to foster and share inspiration and creativity in our community, by bringing in creatives with fresh ideas and perspectives to share with our own vibrant community. We’ve sought storytellers whose work has an element of social change in it in some way and focussed on ‘storytellers’, rather than ‘writers’ more specifically, to acknowledge the huge variety of ways a good story can be told.”
Ms Simpson notes that the pilot is a true community event, with the baches used by storytellers provided by locals.
Local real estate firm Kelly & Co is the principal sponsor, and New World Ōtaki has also pledged to make grocery contributions.
“While in its pilot year, the public events are likely to be more limited in size, but we’re looking forward to being able to welcome larger numbers as the programme becomes more established,” Ms Simpson says.
Local businesses interested in being involved are welcome to contact IOWŌ.
“Once we’ve finalised arrangements with the successful applicants, we’re looking forward to sharing our plans, likely in July,” says Ms Simpson.
● For further information about the residency programme, please see iowo.org.nz
● IOWŌ is a not-for-profit incorporated society of local Ōtaki residents with a passion for storytelling in all its forms.
● IOWŌ takes place in the week prior and weekend of Bookmark Kāpiti (9-10 August)
● For more information, please contact [email protected].