Growing up & living in South Auckland, extended family & large community groups have always been a normal way of live. Diverse cultures all with different backgrounds, customs, beliefs, systems, ways that others sometimes just don't understand. South Side is a flavour as much as it is an area of Auckland, yes there is the negative but we don't need to say much about that because its usually the only angle media use to highlight our part of town.
But attitudes aside this is & has always been home to me (Janine), Charles (the past 15 years) & the entire lives of our babies so far. Because of that we have made it a personal goal to beautify spaces, bring life into dark places & involve the people that live in the unique communities we have here. Art changes lives & it changes atmospheres, it is a tool in our hands allowing us to interact with people from all walks of life. Our ultimate goal is to see South Auckland become the art capital of New Zealand, a diverse & colourful existence that is celebrated throughout the world. With all dreams in life you need to start somewhere so we have begun stage 2 of the Otara Roller Door Project. The ultimate goal is to paint every roller door throughout the town centre alongside the locals, to make Otara the largest outdoor gallery in New Zealand & also to create ownership of the space in the hearts & minds of our local youth. We will be approaching council to see what they think so fingers, toes & eyes crossed they are keen to get on board too x