About us

RESOURCEFUL CRAFT

Resourceful Craft is an offshoot of Rekindle, being run as a separate project by a charitable entity, and supported by Creative New Zealand. Our annual programme hosts the craft workshops you've come to know and love from Rekindle, based in community venues in Ōtautahi Christchurch and Rīkona Lincoln, with additional opportunities in Whakatū Nelson and Ōtepoti Dunedin.

Our values/approach

The story of craft stretches far back into our past as humans. In uncertain times where disconnection from each other, from ourselves, and from the natural world is growing, we believe it’s time to turn to the wisdom that age-old craft practices can provide to re-weave the human tapestry which has been frayed through industrialisation, colonisation, and capitalism. We can reconsider how we can be in relation with the materials we use, the places that they come from, the traditions that inform their use, and with each other as we transform them into items of use. We can tell stories of where we come from through these gentle acts of making, but more importantly we can find ways to be hopeful for the future.

We continue to grow our understanding of our relationships to the whenua, and the impact of colonisation on craft practices and life in Aotearoa. In Ōtautahi we acknowledge the Ōtākaro Avon and Ōpāwaho Heathcote rivers which give life to this area. We acknowledge mana whenua Ngāi Tūāhuriri, and Ngāi Tahu whānui. We also mihi to those who whakapapa to Waitaha and Ngāti Māmoe, closely connected to this land. Our commitment to honouring te Tiriti o Waitangi guides us in laying a foundation for how we want to go forward into the future and shape our organisation.

We are committed to the responsible sourcing of materials for our workshops. We forage, harvest or thoughtfully purchase fibres, foliage, and green wood. We repurpose textiles once destined for landfill and encourage a mindset of valuing materials through craft. We share how to care for your tools and breathe new life into worn out clothing, and encourage a practice of caring for the things that care for us.

REKINDLE

Rekindle was founded in 2010 in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland by Juliet Arnott, and then relocated to Ōtautahi Christchurch in 2012. Rekindle has since evolved more than 10 projects that have all focused on resourcefulness; some small, some as big as Whole House Reuse, and the Necessary Traditions festival. Read more about Rekindle’s Past Projects.  

Rekindle draws people together to create and share opportunities for resourcefulness. Each project has promoted the skills and knowledge involved in creating what we need from the life within us and around us, for the wellbeing of planet and people. We engage with local resources through care and craft, this being the opposite of wastefulness. We find that craft connects us, and that it is vital for creating what we need from what we have. Read more about resourcefulness.