12/06/2023
Mark Servian here. Had to write a Chair's Report for some paperwork we're doing, if you're wondering what we're up to, here it is below.
Thanks as ever to my fellow Riff Riff riff raff Lauren Kb, Kelli Pike, Graham Haines and Kiri Crossland...
Chair's Report
The Riff Raff Public Art Trust has spent the last year rebooting itself, with it being twenty years since it was first founded to commission the Riff Raff Statue.
Prior to 2020, with the co-leadership of myself and Antanas Procuta since 2013, the Trust was focussed on the redevelopment and then the activation of Embassy Park around the Riff Raff Statue. This was slowed by the arrival of Covid, and then later bought to an end for the time being by the demolition of the Park as the construction of the Waikato Regional Theatre got under way.
This lull in project activity allowed a period of review, reflection and reconstruction of the team. My discussions with Lauren Kerr-Bell and Kelli Pike around merging our respective placemaking interests led to them both joining the Trust in late 2021. Antanas and others were supportive of a wider mission, but decided to leave the Trust simply due to their other commitments. Treasurer Graham Haines stayed on, and Kiri Crossland was recruited in late 2022.
Starting in spring last year, this team reviewed and rewrote the Aims of the Trust’s Deed, which was then formally successfully lodged with both the Societies Office and the Charities Commission. The consequential new clauses are as follows.
The Trust is established to be beneficial to the community by carrying out the following charitable aims:
To initiate, commission and promote permanent and temporary public art works in Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the Waikato.
To initiate, commission and promote placemaking, tactical urbanism and ‘gap filling’ activities in public spaces and streetscapes in Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the Waikato.
To initiate, commission and promote immersive art experiences and environments in indoor spaces in Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the Waikato.
To organise public events and other activations in places and spaces in Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the Waikato.
To carry out the above goals with a fringe and grassroots sensibility that is always imaginative, innovative and transformational, and often unconventional and progressively challenging.
To support artists, performers and other creatives based in and/or identifying with Kirikiriroa-Hamilton and the Waikato.
Essentially what this all means is that we’ve expanded our remit in terms of both geography and scope beyond just Riff Raff and Embassy Park, so that we can carry out placemaking, activations and other grassroots art activity inside and outside, with social and/or environmental purpose, anywhere in the Waikato. Our new slogan is ‘A Weirder Waikato, When-and-Wherever’.
We are close to completing the Trust’s Vision, Values and Mission Statements, which when ready will be published on a new Riff Raff Trust website, which Lauren is currently building.
The AGM of The Riff Raff Public Art Trust is held in November or December, and its financial year is April to March.
Current Projects
Having completed our reboot, we are now underway with the following projects and activities.
The second redevelopment of Embassy Park in a Rocky Horror style. We are engaged with the Hamilton City Council and Jasmax and expect to start planning our decorative overlay soon. Note I work for Momentum Waikato so am also heavily involved in the Theatre project.
Riff Raff Cam. I am working with the HCC and technician Shane Hobson to install a new Riff Raff Cam at the statue’s current site outside the Waikato Museum.
Mesoverse. Lauren founded and manages this event space next to Victoria on the River, which was initially set up as a walk-through immersive art environment. It is on a free month-by-month lease and is being used for occasional gigs and other activities, including being a wet weather alternative for events in VOTR.
Bespoke Bikestands. I am currently organising the first of this decorated bike staples for outside The Meteor, as a proof of concept for further installation around the CBD, working with HCC Transport, engineers Longveld and artist Marti Wong.
Climate Change Installation at the Library. Lauren is facilitating a climate change-themed interactive art installation by artist Tyla Jane Armstrong for the Central Library.
Frankton Mural. Kelli and Lauren are working with the Frankton Business Association, the Len Reynolds Trust and artist Guy Moskon on this project to decorate a prominent wall in Frankton.
Hamilton Festival of Weird. Lauren is working with Sandra Jensen of Free Lunch Street Theatre Company on this first attempt at a week of curious street performance in the CBD.
Kirikiriroa Hamilton Zinefest. The Trust is acting as an umbrella body for this long-established annual event, and I have recently unsuccessfully tried to organise a Zinefest Pecha Kucha in collaboration with the Pecha Kucha Trust.
Rocky Horror Picture Show 50th Anniversary screening. We are supporting and officially co-hosting this event in late June initiated and organised by Philippa Chesham at Hamilton Operatic.
As you can see, we have a lot on, so we have recently committed to not initiating any new projects until we have completed some of these ones.
![“We’ve [now] expanded our remit in terms of both geography and scope beyond just Riff Raff and Embassy Park, so that we ...](https://img3.evepla.com/624/346/102024546243468.jpg)
