‍Upcoming Programmes:

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1 November - In conversation with author Damien Wilkins

As part of Queenstown Writers Festival comes this author talk with Damien Wilkins, discussing his 11th novel, Delirious. This emotionally powerful novel about families and ageing dramatises the questions we will all face if we’re lucky – or unlucky – enough on our journey through life. Winner of New Zealand’s top literary prize for 2025, the Jann Medlicott Acorn Prize for Fiction, award judges described Delirious as “an absorbing, inspiring novel and a damn fine read.” This session will be chaired by Steve Braunias, who declared it ‘book of the year’ months before the judges convened to make their decision. Brought to you by the Mactodd Community Charitable Trust.

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The timing for this event varies from our normal sessions, with morning tea starting at 10am, and the talk itself starting at 10:30am. Please note RSVP is essential — we only have 15 spots for seniors aged 60+. To reserve one, please book directly with Eric by emailing programmes@teatamira.nz.

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About Damien:

Author of fourteen books, Damien's first novel, The Miserables, won the New Zealand Book Award for fiction in 1994, and he has been long-listed three times for the Dublin Literary Award. He received a Whiting Writers’ Award from the Whiting Foundation, New York, in 1992, and an Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Laureate Award in 2013.

He is a professor at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington and Director of the International Institute of Modern Letters – Te Pūtahi Tui Auaha o Te Ao. As a musician and songwriter, he writes and records as the Close Readers.

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8 November - Mixed media layers and space with Raquel Carter

In this Art session, participants will learn how to mix different tonal colours and work freely to create a colourful abstract base layer. Letting this Acrylic layer dry we will then use chalk pastel to draw over the dry abstract with a simple design that creates a positive and negative area space. Following that we will layer in paint into the negative space to crate a bold abstract design. This can then be decorated with patterns over it in mixed media. Towards the finished artwork.

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About Raquel:

Raqul Carter has been teaching art for more than 15 years in different mediums. With a love of pattern and inspired by by nature. Her teaching style is warm, friendly and aims to weave in the strengths of each participant to support their creative journey.

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15 November: Craft  Your Own Christmas Clay Decoration with the Whakatipu Potters Group

Get  into the festive spirit and join us for a special hand-building pottery  session! Guided by members of the Wakatipu Pottery Group, you’ll create your  very own Christmas tree ornament or festive decoration for your home.    Your finished piece will be fired in time for you to hang on your tree in  December—a beautiful, handmade touch to your holiday celebrations.    This session will be held in the pottery studio. Morning tea will be served  in the main building as usual.    Spaces are limited to 12 participants, so RSVP is essential. To secure your  spot, please contact Eric at programmes@teatamira.nz.

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22 November: Turn  up the Music Student Showcase

Participants  will celebrate the performances and achievements of around 20 Music School  students. From beginners through intermediate to advanced students, Turn up  the Music School are delighted to showcase the talents of performers on a  range of instruments. With student MCs to lead the programme and teachers to  accompany, you will be entertained and inspired!

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About Turn up the Music:

Turn  up the Music is Queenstown's Music School. With 29 associate teachers and  over 350 students currently in lessons, we offer lessons on 14 instruments at  Te Atamira and various local schools. We also have 50+ students in receipt of  subsidised lessons and 3 full scholarships each year.

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29 November: Community Stitch-Up: A Festive Wreath

In  this session, participants will explore simple stitching and braiding  techniques to co-create one magnificent, collective Christmas wreath for Te  Atamira. We will work together as a community, patching, sewing and  decorating this symbol of our shared creativity. Your unique contribution  will become a lasting part of a festive artwork that represents us all. Plus,  during the November carnival, our local community can place an auction for a  chance to take this special, community-made wreath home to hang in their  house for Christmas!

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Drop-in sessions, registrations are not required. Free for ages 60+.

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For further information, please call 027 180 02868 or email hello@teatamira.nz.

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Thank you to Central Lakes Trust for their support in bringing creativity to our community.

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Previous Sessions (Saturdays):

2023

15 April - Concert – Pianist Louis Koopman

22 April - Art Workshop - Colours of Autumn with Raquel Tamara Carter

29 April - Movement workshop with Theresa Swain

6 May - Film - Hip Hop-eration

13 May - Concert - Turn Up The Music students

20 May - Art Workshop - Exploring drawing with Raquel Tamara Carter

27 May - Tea Dance with Dance Social

3 June - Feldenkrais awareness lesson

10 June - Still Life Collage

17 June - Piano Recital with Mark Wilson

24 June - Film Screening - Ever the Land

1 July - Weaving working with Roka Cameron

‍8 July - Sculpting Poetry with Nataysa Zambri

15 July - Art Workshop with Raquel

22 July - Film Screening - Te Matakite O Aotearoa / Māori Land March

‍29 July - Concert - Turn Up the Music students

5 August - Origami Workshop with the Japanese Origami Club

12 August - James and Isey - Film Screening

19 August - Tea Dance with Emma Dagg

26 August - Mark Wilson Piano Recital

2 September - Pottery with Raquel Carter

9 September - Turn up the Music concert

16 September - Mindful Movement with Sunny Sky

23 September - Painting Poetry with Natasya Zambri

30 September - Portrait Art workshop with Raquel

7 October - At the World's Edge festival dress rehearsal

14 October - Meet the artist: Abhi Chinniah

21 October - Macrame Workshop with Emma Peers

28 October - Embrace the process art workshop with Queenstown Art Society

4 November - Origami workshop

11 November - Angklung performance

18 November - Mindful Movement with Sunny Sky

25 November - Turn Up the Music Concert

2 December - Christmas Decoration Workshop

9 December - Christmas Tea Dance

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2024

10 February - Feldenkrais with Nicky Tompkins

17 February - Colour therapy with Sunny Sky

24 February - Phone photography with Scott Kennedy

2 March - Mark Making with Muireann

‍9 March - Mark Wilson piano recital

16 March - Kristin O'Sullivan Peren printmaking workshop

23 March - Turn up the Music Concert  

30 March - South Georgia: Tales from Tegan Allpress's Expedition

6 April - The Heart Dances Film Screening

13 April - Irish Music Circle

20 April - Poetry Workshop with Bethany Rogers

27 April - Chinese Calligraphy with Eric Lim

4 May - Charcoal exploration with Raquel Carter

11 May - Creative Collage with Lizanne Knights

18 May - Drawing Workshop with Emma Theyers

25 May - Singing Workshop with Margaret O'Hanlon

1 June - Angklung Music workshop

8 June - Music with Mark Wilson & Friends

15 June - Dance with Nina Hermanns ‍

22 June - Turn Up the Music Recital

29 June - Origami Workshop

6 July - Korean Drumming Workshop

13 July - Guided Tour of Te Whare Pora with master weaver Roka Hurihia Ngarimu-Cameron

20 July - Collage your life story with Lucas Rodriguez

27 July - Exploratory Drawing with Emma Theyers

3 August - Guided preview of A fire that blackened the rocks

10 August - Exploring Sashiko (Slow Stitching) with Diane van Brandenberg

17 August - Drama Workshop with Amelia Glydon

24 August - Artists Tour of Le Satauro with Lyle Penisula

31 August - Exploring Polynesian Carving with Ana Teofilo

7 September - Singalong and Harmonize with Natasha Wilson and Lizzie Green

‍14 September - Turn Up the Music Recital

21 September - Sketching Techniques to Find Inspiration in Everyday Life with Kasia Hebda

28 September - Artist Tour of Lyrics and Lines with Arts Laureate John Reynolds

5 October - At The World's Edge Festival Rehearsals

19 October - Remarkables Park Wellbeing Expo x Saturday Arts Social - Chair Yoga with Eric

26 October - Mark Wilson and Friends Concert - with Janelle Aston and special guest Emma Wilson

2 November -  Queenstown Writers Festival - Is it Getting Better? with Emma Wehipeihana (Espiner) and Jacinta Ruru

‍9 November - Introducing Resident Artist Emma Peers

‍16 November - Raranga Workshop

‍23 November - Morsels of Music with Mark Wilson and friends

30 November - Christmas Cardmaking Workshop with Tina

7 December - Mobile Phone Christmas Photography with Scott Kennedy

14 December - Wasabi Christmas Concert

21 December - Pauli Antoine Concert

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2025

15 February - Concert with Mark Wilson and Friends

22 February - Pueblo de Tambores Artist Talk with Kadambari Raghukumar

1 March - Wool Felting Whenua of Otago with Molly Timmins of Corban Estate Arts Centre

8 March - Experimental Paper Collage with Lucca Rodriguez

15 March - Dance and more with DanceProNZ's Nina Hermanns

‍22 March - Five Films For Freedom

29 March - Turn Up The Music Concert

5 April - Alta (2016-2024) Artist Talk with Marc Blake

12 April - Batik Painting with Ika Willett

19 April - Start Your First Novel with Lizzy Dent

26 April - Stitch a Coaster Workshop with Tikki Studio

‍3 May - Bird Song of the Whakatipu - A Talk with Dawn Palmer

‍10 May - TDC69 and TypeHere Artist Talk with Kaan Hinni, Lloyd Osborne and Shabnam Shiwan

‍17 May - Belly Dancing with Bee Sadalah

‍24 May - Love Notes: In Conversation with Ed Cruikshank

31 May - Pin Stitch with Notions Creative

7 June - Singing Workshop with Margaret O’Hanlon

14 June - Exhibition Opening - Meet The Artists

21 June - Turn Up The Music Concert

‍28 June - Sketchbook Session with Rowan Giselle Holt

5 July - Introduction to NeuroArt with Jenny Geelan

12 July - Storytelling Session with Julian Noel

19 July - Acting for the Screen with Amalia Remus

26 July - My Tree of Strength Art Therapy with Dani Peel

2 August - Mark Wilson and Friends - Winter Warmer Concert

9 August - 'The Object and the Memory'  Collage & Ink Exploration with Lucca Rodriguez

16 August - Abstract Art Painting with Grace Ramsey

23 August - Lino Printing with Emily Murnaghan from Notions Creativity

30 August  - Film Screening: Taste of the Land - Emergence Magazine

‍6 September - Turn Up The Music Showcase

13 September - Collaborative Clay Sculpting with Shannon Courtenay

20 September - Modern Jive Introduction and Tea Dance with Dance Social

27 September - 'The Artist' talk with Julia Holden

4 October - Cyanotype Workshop | Taller de Cianotipia

11 October - Watercolour Water Creatures with Gabrielle Coppola

18 October - The Evolution of Salsa Dancing

25 October - A Stitch in Time: Relaxing Textile Session