Our journey
July 2024
The community-led Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Tākata l The Creativity, Culture and Heritage Strategy for the Queenstown Lakes District was endorsed and was a major milestone for the district.
Created in partnership with the Trust, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Lakes District Museum and Gallery, and Ngāi Tahu, the ten-year strategy represents the evolution of arts and culture in the district and sets a shared vision and commitment to arts, culture and heritage in the Queenstown Lakes District. The development of this community-led strategy is a significant step in enriching the wellbeing and vibrancy of our district’s community, along with diversifying our economy and enhancing our visitor experience.
2023
To inform the content of the Arts, Culture and Heritage Strategy in development, seven hui were held across the district to seek input from locals about what they wanted for the future of arts, culture and heritage in Queenstown Lakes. Another three hui were held in early 2024.
Their feedback inform the Arts, Culture and Heritage strategy which was launched in 2024.
May 2023
The Trust launched Te Wāhi Toi / The Arts Place. The virtual one-stop arts hub was developed to connect the district's creative community and encourage them to network and collaborate.
This free platform is home the district’s Creative Directory and dedicated arts and culture What’s On guide.
February 2023
Three Lakes Cultural Trust partnered with the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), Lakes District Museum & Gallery and Kāi Tahu to develop the district’s first arts, culture and heritage strategy for the next decade.
This community-led strategy, developed in collaboration with QLDC, marks a significant step forward in shaping the future of the sector.
2022
The Trust delivered its second week-long pilot Arts in Schools Programme which involved over 300 primary school students learning from professional artists.
Following the success of two pilot programmes, the Trust reviewed the programme to evaluate its long term sustainability. Unfortunately, the evaluation revealed that the the programme was not sustainable in its current form, and was therefore discontinued.
2022
The Three Lakes Cultural Trust became a member of the Regional Arts Network Aotearoa (RANA) and became known as the independent Regional Arts Organisation (RAO) for the Queenstown Lakes District.
2022
By advocating on behalf of our creative community, the Three Lakes Cultural Trust was instrumental in including a Whakatipu-based arts and cultural hub into the QLDC ten-year plan. Te Atamira, a state-of-the-art community arts space, opened in Queenstown in July 2022.
Once the project was adopted in the ten-year plan, Three Lakes Cultural Trust transitioned out, and Te Atamira Whakatipu Community Trust was formed to manage it.
2021
The Trust delivered its first Arts in Schools Pilot Programme. Over 300 primary school students created their own art piece while working alongside local visual artists.
Their work was then professionally exhibited for friends and whānau to see. This programme was made possible by Youthtown and the Aotearoa Gaming Trust.
2020
In 2020, RenewArt was conceived to celebrate the regeneration of the arts community in the wake of the initial COVID-19 lockdown.
RenewArt celebrated 80 performing artists and 20 visual artists across four sold out shows in Wānaka and Queenstown, with over 1800 in attendance.
2019
The Three Lakes Cultural Trust was established.
The district’s first independent Cultural Master Plan was commissioned by the Trust to provide a roadmap to enhancing the wellbeing of the community through arts and culture. Global consultants AEA Consulting visited the district, met with stakeholders and provided recommendations for the plan. The plan guided the Trust’s work until the subsequent development of the Te Muka Toi, Te Muka Tākata strategy.
Three Lakes Cultural Trust RenewArt
