Meet the Group of Wellington Art Students Giving You a Way Out of Your Day Job

For anyone studying a creative degree, you live in constant terror of your parents' accountant friends Dave and Jude asking what you're going to do post graduation. God help you to try and thaw their icy smiles if you respond with "artist".

There's long been a perception it's near impossible to sustain a successful career in creative industries, yet more kids are undertaking arts courses every year hoping for just that. Wellington has long been known as the cultural capital of New Zealand and the hub of creative pursuit. Yet, the city seems to be producing more talent than it can facilitate, something a group of students are determined to change.

The group of four fine arts students, including elusive street artist Bent, have set up the for-artists-by-artists gallery Play_Station, to provide a platform for young creatives that they might not be able to find elsewhere. Not only did they raise $5000, renovate and curate the central Wellington space, they did it all while still in school.

VICE: Hey guys. It seems Wellington is pretty ripe for artist-run spaces, what motivated you guys to get Play_Station going? Was there a lack of opportunities for younger, less-established generation of artists?
Hugh: Yeah, I think it got to the boiling point that there was such creative vibes going around but not enough opportunities.

Bent: New Zealand, especially Wellington, has a really great art scene, but it's basically just made up of dealer and public galleries. We wanted to a place that was something in between, an artist-run space that's professional but still flexible.

Tyler: For about five years there's just been a complete lack of spaces for emerging artists. Which is weird given Wellington's always been a creative spot, so everyone's just so excited that Wellington's kicking off.

So total free-reign–showing whatever you like for however long you might like? Hugh: Yeah, we can do whatever we want. We have complete freedom to do more experimental projects which may not be realised in more established institutions.

How will what you do subvert what is already offered by traditional galleries with more resources?
Bent: We don't even necessarily want to subvert the norm, we're open to it all. We could move from a place that's more experimental and more traditional. We'll select from a panel beyond the current members of Play Station and from that we'll fill up the next six months of next year with shows.

Tyler: In one of our first shows we actually exhibited the work of one of our tutors. We support emerging artists but we also take on established artists, we're open to all sorts of careers and progress.

That sense of control must feel amazing.
Hugh: Yeah, it's been such a privilege to be in a position to creatives and bring together the whole Wellington community in one spot. At our opening there were so many avenues of the art scene, curators, gallerists from the public galleries, collectors, artists as well as our friends. It was so great to get them all together under one roof.

So you're all be following your own individual creative pursuits, while this runs as a side project? Or is this a full-time thing…could it be a full-time thing?
Hugh: I guess it's kind of both. It's a great avenue for separate careers, in the space we'll each have our studio which we will be using a lot more when uni finishes!

I actually can't believe you've set up this space concurrently with your last year at uni. How the hell have you balanced the two?
Tyler: Well, we actually got the idea because we were all doing a paper that required an offsite exhibition around Wellington. We had been talking about a project like this for next year but we thought we should do it now while we have the energy…

Bent: …and the pressure. Tyler: And the pressure to actually put a deadline on us and do it.

It seems like Wellington has always excelled at utilising the community. I guess our generation has also come to learn with the Internet and everything else, we just have to do it ourselves.
Hugh: We've been so amazed how much support we got. A whole huge network of smaller donors contributing whatever they could.

Bent: Yeah, I think a lot of people are quick to forget that New Zealand is entrenched in DIY culture. All of us probably use things like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and now we're seeing the galleries coming on to these things. They see the value in them and for us that's a good way for us to find out about artists that aren't in this kind of more traditional or academic scene. To find out about artists outside of New Zealand too.

There's another gallery that opened a couple of months ago as well, is it surprising that there isn't more of a sense of competition in such a small scene? You don't worry about other artist-run spaces encroaching on your turf?
Hugh: No way, it would be really nice if more spaces to pop up. That's more friends, more opportunities.

Bent: It will be the start of something. We hope other spaces will open.

Tyler: No it's not so much coming onto our turf, but creating a new formula to give artists their start. It's another process rather than just leaving your degree and staying in your day job. We're providing a foundation to start careers.

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