Healthy Families Invercargill Strategic Leadership Group member Luisa Kuresa knows the value of art in increasing wellbeing. 

Luisa, along with other members of the Rotary group NRG, has been involved in the creation of panels earmarked for an art trail surrounding the city’s CBD redevelopment. 

Healthy Families Invercargill has partnered with Invercargill Central Ltd on the initiative, which is designed to create a visual focal point, connect the community with the redevelopment project, and help environments in the CBD to promote and encourage physical activity and wellbeing. 

So far more than 100 panels have been painted, completed by a combination of community organisations, schools and groups, and individual artists. 

Being involved in the art panels initiative was a good way to connect as a group, but also showcase some of the amazing talent on offer in Invercargill, she said. 

“It’s an amazing idea, having the CBD artwork and everyone being proud of their own panel...You just want to go out and say ‘that’s mine’ and bring your friends and your family...hopefully it will be getting people into the CBD.” 

Waverley Kindergarten was one of the early childhood groups to contribute a panel. Their artwork tells the story of Rongomātāne, the god of cultivated foods. 

Teacher Lynn Millar said the children had loved being part of the art process. 

“They have really enjoyed it, we have them lining up at the door because they wanted to be part of the process because they know that it’s going to be displayed in the city and they really want to be part of it.” 

They had chosen to focus on Rongomātāne because he reflected the Kindergarten’s philosophy of caring for the people and for the plants and the importance of the children having an ecological identity. 

For students at Aurora College, having the opportunity to be part of such a large initiative was exciting. 

Two groups from the school created panels, a Year 9 art group, and a Pasifika group. 

The Pasifika panels incorporate designs from a range of cultures, and were driven by the school’s head boy E.J Teremoana. 

The Year 9 panels feature a range of artworks depicting multiple physical activity themes. 

Students said it felt “awesome” having their art on display. 

“It feels awesome to have that (something that I can show my family and my friends) to show that I did something in town.” 

Healthy Families Invercargill Systems Innovator Laura Faherty said the wellbeing initiative was all about encouraging families and individuals into the CBD, to get them active, and to also get them feeling connected to the CBD redevelopment. 

“The aim here is to create that sense of community, to give people a sense of ownership and belonging to this process, and to recognise that we are all an important part of this redevelopment. And by creating an art trail involving the community, Invercargill Central have shown how the built environment can promote wellbeing and get us active.” 

Article added: Friday 10 July 2020