Tucked into the Rutherford Mews Arts Precinct on Selwyn Place in Nelson, Magenta Creative Space has been doing something quietly extraordinary for over 25 years.

It's Nelson's only free, drop-in, fully resourced arts studio for people in Whakatū Nelson with lived experience of mental distress. No referral required. No waitlists. No pressure. Just space, materials, and people who understand.

Magenta's kaupapa is simple: inclusion and connection. Art is the bond. Tutors — all practising artists in their own right — are on hand to offer direction, guidance, and quiet, consistent support. Open six days a week, with sessions for the general community, a dedicated Women's Day every Wednesday, and a weekly youth session, Magenta meets people where they are and welcomes them back as often as they need.

For the 220+ artists who walk through Magenta's doors each year, it's often far more than an arts centre. For many, it's a lifeline.

GENEROSITY IN ACTION

Magenta Creative Space Charitable Trust applied to the Top of the South Community Foundation, built from the generosity of donors who wanted their giving to create lasting impact in our region.

Through that grant round, Magenta received funding that went directly to where it was needed most: keeping qualified tutors in the room.

THE PROJECT

The grant funded tutors across two weekly programmes.

The first runs on Tuesday afternoons — a structured creative arts session for at-risk young people aged 13–25, delivered in partnership with Pathways social workers. It offers a safe, supported environment where rangatahi can explore creative expression, build confidence, and connect with others. For some, it's the one afternoon each week they have something to look forward to.

The second is a Saturday morning drop-in for isolated older adults — relaxed, welcoming, and open to all. No bookings required. Participants arrive, settle in, and create. Alongside free art materials and qualified tutor support, they find something just as important: company.

Both programmes sit at the heart of what Magenta does best. Not just providing art supplies — though they do that — but giving people back their sense of worth, their connection to community, and their reason to get up each morning.

WHY IT MATTERS

Demand for Magenta's services has never been higher, even as funding for arts and mental health programmes across New Zealand has become harder to secure. Grants like this one don't just keep the lights on — they keep qualified tutors in the room, and that makes all the difference.

A tutor at Magenta isn't simply an art teacher. They provide both creative instruction and quiet, consistent emotional support — showing up week after week for people who might not have anyone else showing up for them.

COMMUNITY FUNDING. REAL IMPACT.

This is what the Top of the South Community Foundation is built for — connecting the generosity of donors across Te Tauihu to the organisations and people who need it most.

At Magenta, that impact looks like a teenager picking up a paintbrush for the first time. An older adult who came in alone and left with a friend. A quiet room full of people who found, through art, that they weren't as alone as they thought.

That's what community generosity makes possible — and there's more of it to give.

Sometimes all it takes is a safe space, a blank canvas, and someone in your corner.

To find out more about Magenta Creative Space and the programmes they offer, visit their website: magentacreativespace.co.nz

Together, we're building a stronger, more connected community across Te Tauihu.