Bright Spots
Diverse and hopeful ways of enabling change
Come along and be inspired!
The Moving the Middle programme, led by Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, is learning from extraordinary people and groups across the country who are inspiring and supporting social and environmental change.
Join us for this public talk where we bring together five local speakers, all passionate about their mahi, to hear about the diverse and hopeful ways they are enabling change.
We’ll hear from:
- Kelly Barry from Wairewa Rūnanga and the Te Kāio project, and
- Jo Burzynska, the creator or the underwater symphony currently featuring at Norman Kirk pool.
- Chloë Dear from Quorum Sense
- Catherine Leeper from the Climate Action Campus
- Findal Proebst from Future Farmers New Zealand
DATE
Wednesday 27 November
Time
7 pm – 8:30 pm
Cost
Free
Meet the speakers
Kelly Barry
Professional consultant, accidental therapist, and part-time juggler of endless to-do lists. Kelly is the go-to person for any Māori development initiative that requires a mix of strategic magic, cultural flair, and an intense love for spreadsheets. When not plotting long-term land acquisition plans or fending off email overload, Kelly is tackling an MBA, because apparently, sleep is optional. Having recently wrapped up her role as General Manager for Wairewa Rūnanga, Kelly managed to take off one hat—only to immediately put on two more. Now, as the strategic advisor for the Rūnanga and economic advisor for its investment company, she’s proving that her talent for creating more work for herself might be unparalleled. How many hats can one head hold? Kelly’s set on finding out.
Known for turning complex cultural strategies into actionable (and occasionally understandable) plans, Kelly has been working with Wairewa Rūnanga to launch a series of bold projects—from environmental initatives and investment strategies to something called the “10-generation vision” (it involves reclaiming land and a lot of patience). Kelly has a knack for tackling both long-term strategy and everyday challenges, which keeps her—and her hats—constantly in action.
Kelly is looking forward to sharing her journey, insights, and a bit of her own hard-earned wisdom on creating pathways that empower whānau, elevate cultural identity, and build intergenerational resilience.
Jo Burzynska
Dr Jo Burzynska is a multimedia artist, researcher, curator and writer. Her initial practice in sound spans sonic art to multisensory installations that regularly use her own field recordings. Over the last decade her work has become increasingly multisensory, often combining sound with taste, touch, and the scents she often distills herself. She has exhibited across the world, from the streets of Ōtautahi, to Maxxi National Museum of Contemporary Art in Rome. Jo is actively engaged in research into sensory interactions and their creative application, pioneering a practice she calls crossmodal art that was the focus of her doctoral research at UNSW Art & Design. Through a focus on embodied and nonvisual sensory knowledge and aesthetics, she is interested in exploring the different connections and understandings that can be made between people, culture, nature, and place. Jo is based in Ōhinehou Lyttelton, New Zealand.
Chloë DEER
Chloë’s life recently came full circle: coming from a rural Southland background with goats, sheep and parents interested in self-sufficiency followed by a degree in agriculture and ecology in the days when this was considered odd, she is now manager of Quorum Sense, a farmer-led network supporting farmers and growers on regenerative journeys. In between, Chloë spent several years in development in Nepal and Ethiopia then twenty years as a street theatre, circus and outdoor festival producer with a slant towards community participation. She came back to NZ 12 years ago to take up the role of manager of events production at CCC and, at the same time, Director of NZ IceFest – the city’s then Antarctic Festival. Although returning to the primary sector 6 years ago, she continues her cultural connection through being Chair and Establishment Manager for MOVE Ōtautahi Inc which will manage the exciting circus and dance studios at Parakiore opening next year. When not staring at a computer screen, she is found on her small farm with her flock of 150 dairy ewes and, yes, goats.
Catherine Leeper
Catherine Leeper is a Learning Advisor at the Climate Action Campus Ōtautahi. The Climate Action Campus is the first of its kind in Aotearoa. Our aim is to engage young people and their wider communities in meaningful and positive ways to develop their understanding of our climate, local environment and what living sustainably looks like on a personal and societal level. We currently work with 49 local schools in addition to early learning centres, climate education and environmental researchers, community groups, CCC and local small businesses. The campus provides a place to learn about climate change; to engage with others from diverse backgrounds, expertise and ages; and to develop and initiate ideas and actions.
Findal Proebst
Findal is a people person, and a soil person. His journey began in the diverse worlds of permaculture, biodynamics and adaptive orcharding. He is deeply involved in the farming and regenerative circles of NZ through his work in agronomy and advice at Agrownomics, and in the world of policy and advocacy through his role in Future Farmers Aotearoa. He believes that fundamentally, the root of our challenges is also the solution: the way we communicate.
Location
Lyttelton Club
23 Dublin Street
Lyttelton
