We are thrilled to announce that our ‘Imagine My City’ project has funding support from the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation). A huge thank-you from the team here to the National Commission for helping get this pilot underway. We are really looking forward to creating this exciting work together!

‘Imagine My City’ aims to inspire and empower young people to take leadership in bringing nature back to urban backyards and neighbourhoods.  Just now we are deep in the process of scoping and finalising a neighbourhood locale for our first milestone: A creative weekend event in a series of backyards where artists and biodiversity scientists will blend skills and thinking to deliver some surprising experiences enabling kids, their families, whanau and friends to explore and envision their neighbourhood in fresh and unique ways.

A 100-day creative challenge follows where young people will create and share their own visions of what a nature rich city might look like through arts-based media such as stories, painting, sculpture, music or theatre – culminating in a public exhibition and showcase of their work.

We’re delighted to bring alive in this project the National Commission’s priorities through forging connections across the arts, science and community sectors, empowering children from diverse backgrounds to connect and become resilient, innovative and global citizens, supporting and promoting NZ’s unique natural heritage and a community based learning model for sustainable development.

We are keen to connect with and link with a range of organisations and individuals working in a similar space and we’re on the lookout for some great artists & scientists who’d like to work with us. Please give us a yell if this sounds like you!