Second chance for student art

This is Artstart's eighth year saving student artwork from the landfill.

This year the foundation took on the big task of expanding out across the motu, giving students throughout Te Ika-a-Māui and the wider Canterbury region the opportunity to have their artwork exhibited in a professional setting.

Co-founder of Artstart, Charlotte Sherratt, says Artstart gives students the opportunity to keep being an artist outside of high school, no matter what they decide to do.

Art teachers are blown away by Artstart and what it does for their students.

Head of Visual Art at Rangi Ruru Girls’ School, Kate Rivers, says students are stoked to see their artwork celebrated in the community.

She notices a student’s confidence in their work will skyrocket and says it is a huge opportunity.

Artstart began in 2018 as the Creators’ Room, helping to put meaning back into student artwork outside NCEA assessments.

Sherratt and co-founder Sophie Paterson both understand the feeling of disconnect from art out of school as they experienced it themselves.

The two girls became friends in high school through a love of art, although neither of them took it further.

Years later, while clearing out said artwork, the girls noticed all the lost potential in their art which had been stashed away in boxes for years.

The friends realised many art students do not continue with art away from high school, prompting them to action change.

Now a registered charitable trust, Artstart provides a $5000 scholarship to one student per region, helping to launch their career.

Other students selected into the programme have their work professionally framed and exhibited in public spaces, fully-funded by the foundation.

Artstart has given young artists a professional platform to showcase their mahi, cementing purpose and passion into art in their lives.  

The Christchurch exhibition is running until 17 April at the airbridge between the Crossing and Ballantynes.