An arts programme that's been seeing great results through its work with recovering drug and alcohol addicts is concerned for its future when its funding runs out. Art-East is under the umbrella of Drug-ARM Christchurch and has been running since 2014. It provides a safe space and support for people struggling with drug and alcohol issues, and won recognition for its work in the community with the Arts Access Holdsworth Creative Space Award in 2021. In the same year it won over $241k from the Care Fund - a Covid response initiative run through the Ministry for Culture and Heritage - which allowed it to expand its operating hours to five days a week and the number of people. But the fund has now wound up - leaving Art-East with a shortfall from next year. Lis Rate-Smith joins Kathryn to talk about Art-East's work and the concerns many arts-based programmes have in trying to secure funding in a cost-of-living crisis.
Photo: Supplied
