Aotearoa/Rotterdam Arts Exchange

Hobson Street Theatre Company (HSTC) is an award-winning theatre company created in partnership with the Auckland City Mission/Te Tāpui Atawhai and produced by Flock Charitable Trust. We have been creating and touring together since 2010, telling stories full of heart, humour, and soul.

HSTC works from a strength based kaupapa; our focus is on what people can do, rather than the opposite, and we believe that everyone in the room has skills and ability to share with each other. A genuine commitment to upholding people’s own stories is central. Our work is not always 'about' homelessness, yet individual’s experiences inform all our work.

Another kaupapa that drives our company is to demonstrate that, as one of our cast members put it, “homeless don’t mean hopeless”.

What we are doing

After a heart-breaking last minute COVID cancellation in 2020, HSTC are thrilled to be invited again to take part in the triennial International Community Arts Festival (ICAF) in Rotterdam in March 2023.

As part of the 9th ICAF, nine members of HSTC will join Pauluskerke Rotterdam for twelve days to create and present a collaborative performance that shares their stories, dreams and desires through the lens of the festival theme 'the sound of change'.

As one of the longest-running, and most important festivals in the international community arts sphere, ICAF will provide a once in a lifetime opportunity for our team to connect with others both artistically and culturally, to see quality community arts work from all over the world, and for many of our crew, this will also be the first time they have had the opportunity to travel outside of Aotearoa.

Why we need your help

We are so grateful for the significant support we have received from Creative New Zealand, and for the on the ground contribution from ICAF, however flight and accommodation costs alone have increased enormously (by more than 50%) since we first budgeted our trip 12 months ago.

As a community company we also encourage as many people as we are able to logistically support to be part of our work to provide maximum opportunity to participate and contribute - this means that we are touring with a large group of nine.

This Boosted campaign will enable us to provide a small per diem (daily payment) to each company member while we are in Rotterdam to cover public transport and kai, and will also cover a portion of our significant accommodation costs.

With your support we will showcase creativity from one of Aotearoa's least represented communities on a world stage.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou

Hobson Street Theatre Company