Hana Pera Aoake (Ngati Hinerangi, Ngati Mahuta, Tainui) has been announced as the New Zealand curator-in-residence for Delfina Foundation’s Spring 2024 Residency season. Hana will work alongside Metroland Cultures in Brent as well as pursue her own research.

Hana Pera Aoake is a Māori artist, writer, teacher and curator. Based in Kawerau, Hana is a mum of a cheeky two year old and works as the museum curator at the Sir James Fletcher Kawerau museum, a part time lecturer at University of Canterbury in art history and co-organises Kei te pai press with Morgan Godfery. Hana’s practice
hinges on ways to share ideas, knowledge and resources in accessible ways to benefit her rural community, and in building connections to larger, globalised struggles.

During their time in London, Hana hopes to share and learn more about how art spaces can work with different communities to facilitate different conversations and exchanges. Hana is interested in how a space like Metroland operates as an inbetween space bringing together different communities within the borough of Brent. Hana looks forward to meeting and befriending some of the other residents at Delfina and spending time at the Preston community library in Brent.

On being awarded the residency, Hana said: “I’m very humbled and excited for this opportunity to share and learn in a city as dynamic as London. It will be the longest time I’ve spent away from my two-year-old so I’m very nervous but feel privileged and grateful to my whānau for allowing me to take this opportunity! I am keen to bring what I learn home to enrich my community and practice.”

Metroland Cultures sits at the intersection of art and community, testing new approaches that  centre partnerships and collaboration. The residency offers opportunities to gain training, skills and experience, while embedded in the curatorial workings of Metroland Cultures for 2-3 days/week—offering professional development opportunities related to exhibition organisation, project management, artist liaison support, research and public programming.

This residency allows participants to explore their own research through introductions to museums, galleries, non-profits, artist-run spaces and studios, as well as trips to institutions outside London, opportunities to meet and engage with artists, curators, academics and researchers through organised presentations and studio visits, and professional development activities including presentations and crits, portfolio reviews, and mentoring activities.

The residency was awarded following an open call to emerging / mid-career curators interested in testing and developing new approaches to a collaborative practice bridging artists and communities. Over 30 applications were received from which Delfina Foundation and Metroland Cultures selected four for interviews. This project has been made possible through the generous support of Kent Gardner, Creative New Zealand and the British Council Aotearoa New Zealand and Pacific.