My fellow ARPA Kiwis,
Time for a brief update on the world of ARPA, both here in NZ and over in Australia.
What's been happening around NZ and Australia?
It was my pleasure to represent the New Zealand chapter of ARPA at our face-to-face executive meeting back in February.
During the meeting we were able to sit down with Nathan Brown, who is the CEO of Christian Media and Arts Australia (CMAA). Our intention was to learn more about how CMAA have innovated and grown as a network.
On Nathan's invitation, ARPA President Peter Bentley and I went along to the recent CMAA Conference: 'Small is the New Big' on the Gold Coast, May 1-3.
I am very grateful to ARPA for sending me to attend the conference and spent time networking with CMAA members and learning more. I was particularly interested in the way CMAA have drawn in younger members, and the ways they seek to connect smaller members to help share resources. It was a vibrant, professional and relevant conference and I learnt a lot about connection in a media space.
I'd be really keen to chat more with you all about the future of ARPA, as we navigate a changing media landscape.
I also enjoyed getting down to Wellington last week to meet up with members as they heard from Dr Hrayr Jebejian of the Bible Society in the Gulf States.
Thanks for being very gracious with me settling back into Kiwi life with my family over the past 7 months as we re-located to Levin after 3 years in Sydney. Many of you sent messages of welcome and I'm very grateful.
I'm keen to keep growing and developing in this role, as I support the work of ARPA members in New Zealand.
What's coming up in 2018?
Our Annual ARPA Conference is being held in Brisbane 7-9 September, just a few weeks away. I'll be there and hope to see those of you who are making the trip.
We'll have some time to get together for dinner on the Friday night, as just the NZ chapter, to discuss what we'd like to see for the future of ARPA.
I'm also looking forward to supporting you all at our awards. Each year New Zealanders are consistent with a high standard and creativity--and I'm sure this year will be no different!
We also hope to have another couple of NZ ARPA meetings--Auckland has one planned for 30 November, and we've discussed another get-together in Wellington before the end of the year.
What's coming up in 2019?
I've got some exciting news: our annual ARPA conference is being planned for CHRISTCHURCH, NZ 2019!
Our Executive is keen to have more events in NZ, and our Australian contingent is especially excited about exploring the city as it is being re-built and re-imagined.
At this stage the dates discussed are 6-8 September 2019. But I wanted feedback from you, our NZ chapter, before confirming.
So please let me know: will these dates suit you?
I'd also love to hear more about what would make a uniquely Kiwi-flavoured ARPA conference for you. Do you have tips for speakers? Locations?
As always, do let me know what your local ARPA group is up to and how I can best be encouraging and supporting you.