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With more than 800 years of creative design informing its modern lives, Whanganui is a place where creativity is strengthened by history and elevated by a desire for innovation and social progress. With over 48,000 inhabitants, the city has a diverse and accomplished population of creatives who contribute vitality to its community and whose work expresses Whanganui’s relationship with its environment, cultural heritage and aspirational future. With an increasingly diverse population, 26% of which is Māori, a powerful contribution to the city’s identity, the city celebrates each new influence to its creative profile. Creative industries generate USD 29 million annually for the city, with an additional USD 15.9 million generated by creative and heritage tourism. Based on a 2021 heritage analysis it is estimated that heritage built assets are worth USD 63.27 million. Whanganui’s well established community of creatives, its reputation as a place rich in inspiration and wealth of educational opportunities attract designers and artists to the city and create an environment that nurtures and values them. UCOL Whanganui School of Creative Industries is an active centre for tertiary design education, attracting local, national and international students, with experienced teaching practitioners from around the world. The school offers a broad range of courses including Master of Design, Postgraduate Diploma of Design, Bachelor of Design and Arts Visual Arts, Design Media & Textile/Fashion Design, NZ Diploma in Arts & Design, and NZ Certificate in Arts & Design. Whilst at a community level, Whanganui Community Education offer entry level courses in design, printing, drawing, furniture and raranga (weaving). This caters for both hobbyists and as introduction for locals who progress to a professional level, expanding the role of creatives and enriching the lives of Whanganui’s residents.

As a Creative City of Design, the following steps will be important: • Sharing knowledge and acting as a conduit for creative communities and ideas to connect; • Celebrating the city’s indigenous cultural heritage and ensuring it is afforded respect and consideration as the foundation for its creativity, making sure Māori voices are heard and reflected in the city’s creative identity; • Exercising care for the city’s environment and using design to enhance the mana of its land, community and people; • Championing the value of creativity and artistic endeavor through example and supporting the expression of creativity as valuable and life-enhancing; • Making grants accessible to the creative community so that the creatives have support to develop and refine their skills and lead prosperous lives; and • Using design to shape and better the city, making social spaces accessible, inclusive and welcoming.