Why we’re here
Our collective exists to do work we love, assisting communities to become vital, healthy, creative and nature-rich.
We have many decades of experience between us in leading national conservation and environmental education outreach, sustainability projects, community government partnerships and arts and communication projects
Current research tells us that creative expression helps address the emotional and imaginative connections people need to connect with and value the natural world. We aim to generate excitement about nature by initiating projects and programmes which engage imagination and creativity while connecting with the science of what’s really happening in both backyards and wild places.
We’re thrilled to work alongside individuals and organisations already restoring and protecting the natural world – strengthening communities, encouraging artistic expression, drawing on Maori and other cultural traditions], educating our children as whole and responsible beings and generally promoting social wellbeing.
Our work
We love putting our minds, hearts and hands to most things including: curation, partnerships, facilitation, strategy, environmental education and community outreach, media and communication, creative writing, events, mentoring
How we work
We’re committed to modelling a paradigm of what we believe work is meant to look like. It promotes collaboration and cooperation based on the understanding that life is enriched by the contributions of all of us. We have deep appreciation and kaitiaki – guardianship – for the natural world: We are dedicated to empowering others, working on frontiers – using transformational methodologies and creating innovative approaches and programmes. Respectful communication, family friendly approaches, health and well-being are absolute musts as is celebration, fun and playfulness.
Pam Crisp
Pam’s been around the traps all over in environmental education. Started out as a teacher, completed an hons. degree in English literature, dabbled in journalism, then found her calling while reading Rachel Carson’s ‘Silent Spring’.
She cut her teeth campaigning, researching, writing and educating for the Nature Conservation Council before signing up with DOC in the late 80’s. Ten years into the job she fell in love with a young kiwi (bird) while out on the job as DOC’s sponsorships coordinator. This opened her eyes to the truly amazing nature of Aotearoa’s ancient natural world, leading on to a new calling – environmental education, which she’s worked with a great team of people to anchor into DOC’s long term strategic direction.
Post DOC, she’s Seaweek’s national programme manager, and on the executive committee of the New Zealand Association for Environmental Education. She’s a horsey gal, gardener, chook-mother and yoga practitioner who keeps a brandy handy when she’s not hanging upside down in her favourite posture!
Nikki Wright
Nikki’s our journo, expert communicator and lover of plum crumble, elephants and strumming the mighty uke! She’s fond of going back to Zambia Africa – where she grew up – to show her two awesome offspring around the ‘cradle of mankind. ’
When she is not ‘waving hands through the clouds’ with Tai Chi moves, she is driven to engage people with the world’s wonderful nature and environmental issues through creative and experimental approaches.
She’s written extensively about NZ conservation, made short films with penguins and other crazy characters, led a national programme of innovative community partnerships and outreach across the country for the Department of Conservation, created guides for strategic engagement and breezed the corridors of the NZ Parliament in various roles and on assignment for ministers. She delights in collaborating on stuff that ‘makes a difference’ and especially loves bringing a ‘view from the balcony’ to any meeting.
Fey Valiant
She’s an artiste and a not-for-profit chick. She made family portraits in ballpoint as a kid, fooled about in rock pools and rumbled through piles at the local “tip”. This led to solo and group exhibitions, advocacy for nature and ongoing concern with how humans handle waste. A 14 year stint in Sydney included illustration work, mural-painting, and private art commissions. She co-founded Sustainability Trust and worked on their projects on transport and energy use, initiating workshop programmes on safe food through sustainable building. As a facilitator she’s assisted in planning for a government department and with reviews and conflict management for community organisations. She’s given public talks, co-organised arts events,
She loves words-and-pics, dance, drama, laughter and strong decaff and recently went hot-air ballooning in Egypt. She’s co-builder of a garden on her apartment grounds – a diligent waterer of young trees and encourager of bees. She’s an avid supporter of Newtown’s Timebank
Cassidy Abbot
Youth ambassador for ‘Imagine my City’ project
Cassidy Abbot is a marine biology enthusiast, experienced gamer, junior IT specialist, YouTuber, story and comic writer and loves his fox terrier ‘Poppy’.
He decided to become the youth ambassador for nature through the arts because he’s passionate about nature. He loves his wild lizard Xanderman who lives under the tomatoes, saving bumblebees from certain doom, and river swimming.
He is certain that technology and nature can go together, by using tech and social media to broadcast nature to the world.
Nature Through The Arts Collective 