Community Art Service Outlined

Northern Advocate, 26 September 1946, Page 3

Community Art Service Outlined

The functions and organisation of the newly-formed community art service were outlined by Mr Owen Jensen, music tutor of the Adult Education Centre, in a luncheon address to the Whangarei Junior Chamber of Commerce yesterday. Mr Jensen said that the CAS was modelled on the Council for. the Encouragement of Music and the Arts which had done such wonderful work in Britain during the war. The CAS in New Zealand, however, was in a different position from the CEMA in Britain. Conditions here were different anc! the country districts had largely been neglected insofar as cultural services were concerned, the job being left to commercial interests.

The CAS, therefore, had been set up and Was concerned with two important things—the community and the service.

Mr Jensen stressed the importance of the community in the scheme. The community .must decide what it want ed in the way of cultural services and the CAS would endeavour to satisfy that need. Shows would only be sent because they were wanted by the com munitv, and because the particular need for that service had arisen. The formation of a community art centre in local districts was suggested by Mr Jensen. This should be comprised of representatives of the numerous interested organisations ana should decide just what services were needed. “Our job is to une up things wc can send out," said Mr Jensen. He mentioned the art exhibitions, solo artists such as the baritone, Stewart Harvey, the violinist, Alec Lindsay, Lili Kraus, drama shows and the puppet and ballet shows. • He said that in the six weeks that the CAS had been in existence it had been deluged with requests for these entertainments. ARTISTS FOR WHANGAREI The CAS’s first venture would be the visit of Stewart Harvey to Te Aroha on Monday night. This would be followed by the visit of Alec Lindsay to the smaller towns in the North. On November 21, Lili Kraus would visit Whangarei and would be followed by two art exhibitions, the drama, puppet and ballet shows. Mr Jensen mentioned that lecturers would be sent with the art exhibitions. The CAS would cover the expences of the artist but local expences would have to be met locally; also any loss Avould have to be borne locally. Mr Jensen said that the CAS would not respond to requests from cliques. The desire for the service should be a community desire and a request from any particular quarter would be refused. In the future, said Mr Jensen, it was hoped that the service would become merely a channel. If any local organisations, had a show they wanted to send on tour, it would be sponsored if the CAS thought it good enough. Mr Jensen said that of all the places he had visited he had never met with such hospitality and enthusiasm as that of Whangarei. The only criticism he had to offer was that the roof of the Town Hall would be greatly improved by insulation, as heavy rain such as that experienced on Monday night, when he was holding his first lecture recital, made hearing rather difficult. . • A vote of thanks was accorded Mr Jensen. At an informal meeting yesterday afternoon of those interested in the formation of a local Community Art Centre it was decided to appoint Mr. W. R.* Vallance to convene a meeting at an early date for the purpose of “setting tip a committee.