Today, Aotearoa’s arts are being neglected. Amid political uncertainty and economic recession, statistics show that only half of New Zealanders feel they can easily access the arts. These barriers are even more pronounced for deaf and disabled communities and those living in remote regions. Yet the arts play a crucial role in the expression of Aotearoa’s culture and identity, therefore arguing that the arts should be accessible to all.

This project, Artistic Activism, explores a reimagined design process that merges architectural, activist and artistic methods to create direct action. To challenge barriers to art accessibility, this project develops a series of mobile interventions in the form of pop-up performance spaces, gathering spaces and galleries. The designed interventions are articulated through bold colours and forms that emphasise their presence and draw attention to the arts. These interventions ‘pop up’ across Aotearoa, challenging accessibility barriers while creating spaces for community engagement, Ngā Toi Māori, and art participation.

The result is a reimagined design process that blurs the boundaries between art, architecture and activism. In doing so, producing interventions that enhance art accessibility and reinforce the arts’ importance in creating belonging, identity and cultural connection within Aotearoa.