History of the Auckland East Arts Council
The 1970s
Ngaire Lovie-Stewart and others set up the 'Easter Suburbs Cultural Trust' in 1974. The first major event, the Jubilee Arts and Crafts Festival was held in St Heliers War Memorial Hall in 1977. By 1978 about 120 members, involved in a number of activities, were meeting weekly in Kohimarama Yacht Club and the Trust became incorporated as the 'Eastern Suburbs Community Arts Centre'.
Auckland East Arts Council Founder
The 1980s
A Steering Committee was formed in 1981 for building a Community Theatre and Arts Centre. This new group was incorporated as the 'Auckland East Arts Council' in 1984. In 1987 a building site had been found, authorizations obtained and finance promised before the stock market crash put an end to plans. During this period, the Festival Committees organised numerous events and exhibitions which included pottery, sculpture, costume. quilt-making and dance as well as painting.
The 1990s
Activities were extended to include regular sales of art, demonstrations, workshops, tableaux and visits elsewhere. Brushstrokes, a weekly group painting from the human form began and gave its name to the now, well established, Auckland East Arts two-monthly newsletter. Agreement was reached with the St Heliers-Glendowie Scouting Group to use their premises as a base for activities.
Exhibition in Mission Bay.
The 2000s
Membership was greatly expanded (it reached 300+ in 2007) Weekly groups increased to five (including the use of a new site in Mission Bay) and taught classes started. Regular demonstrations and workshops were held. The number of annual sales of work was increased (St Heliers, Eastridge, Mission Bay etc) as were regular major exhibitions (Grace Joel, Ellerslie, St Heliers Library and ARTauckland). A programme of youth involvement was begun and a Website developed.