OUTSIDE THE SQUARE – Henderson new writing launch

New Writing for Henderson

Henderson-Massey Local Board invites you to a free launch event of new writing about Henderson
on Sunday 17 September at the Corban Estate Arts Centre.
The writing series includes short written works by Paula Morris, Nina Seja and Ann Poulsen , and a
theatrical play for children by Renee Liang (Glucina) . The works were commissioned and funded by
the local board as part of their Outside the Square initiative, which aims to support community arts in
Henderson and to cultivate a creative relationship with Henderson’s people, places and past.
The written works will be distributed free at the launch and in purpose built book boxes in the weeks
following. Designed and constructed specifically for Outside the Square, the boxes will be placed
near the Japanese Garden and council buildings, at the Corban Estate Arts Centre and at Metlifecare
Waitakere Gardens retirement village.
“Henderson is beginning to see a revitalisation,” says local board chair Shane Henderson.
“Our board has funded a number of initiatives to enliven the town centre, including the event Busking
on the Bridge and murals by Kakano Youth Arts Collective. These new pieces of writing continue our
drive to create a vibrant town.”
The four works focus on different aspects of Henderson’s history. Paula Morris’ personal essay Up
the Creek considers the role of Henderson’s creeks in Maurice Gee’s work and in her own life and
writing. Ann Poulsen’s Memory of a Garden is a ‘close reading’ that activates the Japanese Garden
in the heart of the Henderson CBD. Notes to a Human Specimen from Your Elders , by Nina Seja,
is an inventive work that tells the story of Henderson’s renowned botanist Lucy Cranwell from the
point of view of her specimens. Renee Liang’s (Glucina) play, Sofya’s Garden , is inspired by
Croatian settlers and the fairy tales they brought to west Auckland.
“This creative project brings people closer to Henderson’s lived history and creates a sense of
belonging and community,” says Rebecca Kunin, project manager for Outside the Square. “The
unique way the works will be distributed means that people will come across them as they go about
their everyday life. I hope they provide unexpected moments of joy, reflection, and connection.”
The launch on Sunday 17 September will be held in Old St. Michael’s Church, in the grounds of the
Corban Estate Arts Centre. The event commences at 1pm with a reading of Sofya’s Garden
(recommended for ages four to nine), followed by a Q&A discussion where the audience can provide
feedback for playwright Renee Liang. At 3pm all four authors will discuss their personal process of
creating new writing for Henderson.
For more information please visit www . outsidethesquare.org.nz or contact Rebecca Kunin at
rebecca@outsidethesquare.org.nz.