Art Soup - An Arts and Wellbeing Space for Youth!

Art Soup is a dedicated Youth Arts Space in the heart of Māwhera/Greymouth, created, developed and led by Grey District youth. 

We are raising $7,000 to help cover the costs of supervisors of our art space, so we can open more hours and support the dreams of the growing number of creative youth who are engaging with our programmes.

Our Story:

In 2021, four enterprising, creative youth started work toward their shared vision for an inclusive Youth Arts and Wellbeing space in the Grey District. With Ministry of Culture and Heritage seed funding, they were able to trial their ideas with the support of their chosen Arts Space Champion - artist and writer Sam Duckor-Jones.

In June 2022, Art Soup (named by our youth) opened. In its short time of opening, it quickly proved itself as a centre supporting youth creativity and wellbeing. More youth came onboard the planning team, and together they designed and curated their logo, programme of events, and Instagram account @artsoup.nz where they share the fun, the work, and all the creativity that is happening through this project.

October 2022 saw Art Soup having to move out of its first building. While we were looking for a new space, we developed a collaboration with the Greymouth Heritage Trust, setting up a youth art exhibition space in the Signal Box, a heritage building in the CBD, over summer.

Through a partnership with Mawhera Incorporation, we have now moved to our second building. The youth have turned the old Greymouth Medical Centre into a cosy creative hub. We have art supplies and musical instruments available freely. We open at (currently limited) regular times and also host open mic, singing, sewing, and art skill workshops, and creative events that the youth want to run. Already, we have been identified as a place where organisations can come to get Grey District Youth Voice into local and national projects or to find creative youth who might like to get involved with local activities and events.

Now we need your help. The Grey District Youth Trust, for the youth team leading the space, and supported by community partners including the West Coast Society of Arts, is reaching out for funding to cover the costs associated with employment of supervisors, that is proving very challenging to find funding for. Our asking amount is to cover budgeted costs for six months.

By supporting our Boosted Campaign, you will be helping us open more hours, providing stability to Art Soup and allow us to focus our energies on long-term development of the creativity and wellbeing of Grey District Youth.