Artists with a passion for making a change in the environment have the chance to become an Environment Envoy with Dunedin Dream Brokerage.
In conjunction with the Dunedin City Council’s environment strategy, Te Ao Turoa, the brokerage is offering a $5000 commission for the chosen project.
Applications for the Environment Envoy commission, which is open throughout New Zealand for projects that connect with Dunedin people, have been extended and will now close on February 4.
Dunedin Dream Brokerage’s Kate Schrader said the commission would be for projects that made innovative use of vacant retail space in the city, had a strong public impact and were active for at least three weekends.
There have been two previous Environment Envoy projects in the city, Awa HQ and What Grows Where You Live, which were supported through the preceding Urban Dream Brokerage programme in 2018.
Awa HQ was a project dedicated to the Toitu Stream and led by Angela Lyon, Aroha Novak and Charlotte Parallel.
It looked at the history, condition and relationships of the stream, which runs under the inner city, and culminated in a series of picnics, performances and a hikoi.
What Grows Where You Live was led by Ruth Evans and embraced Dunedin’s biodiversity, focusing on creating planting schemes for raupo, harakeke, kowhai and poroporo.
‘‘This commission is an awesome opportunity — it will be great to see what ideas our artists can come up with,’’ Ms Schrader said.
In an exciting new development for Dunedin Dream Brokerage, the organisation will be supporting the Dunedin Fringe Festival, which runs from March 21 to 31.
Ms Schrader is on the hunt for vacant spaces in the CBD which could be used for events and performances during the festival.
‘‘I’m available to talk with building owners if they are interested in taking part and are looking for more information,’’ she said.
It has been a hectic four months for Ms Schrader, who took over as broker with the relaunched Dunedin Dream Brokerage four months ago.
Founded and overseen for its first three years by Wellingtonbased organisation Letting Space, the Dunedin Dream Brokerage (formerly Urban Dream Brokerage) was relaunched with a new website and a new umbrella organisation — the Otago Chamber of Commerce.
‘‘We’re here to support the creative community, and to do all we can to make Dunedin an interesting place to live,’’ Ms Schrader said.
