About Us
Safe faces, safe places.
Who Are We
Cultural Conversations is a community-based arts hub that facilitates opportunities for people from the global majority to share music, art and storytelling through creative programmes, workshops, and events. The primary outcome of these sessions is to enhance knowledge, awareness, and appreciation for the cultural diversity that makes up the Nelson region as well as wider Aotearoa New Zealand.
"Cultural Conversations is like a glowing fire where different people come in and stoke it".
Lisa Lawrence.
"Cultural Conversations is a space that celebrates and respects diversity and unites people from different communities. It is a space to learn and teach, to give to others and to receive. A space for everyone and co-created by all"
Karolina Serrano.
Moemoeā/
Our Vision
For the world to be a more equitable place to live, where everyone feels included and no one feels isolated.
Kaupapa/
Our Purpose
To celebrate and respect diversity, bringing together people from different communities. We believe in a collaborative approach, co-created by all, to foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity for everyone involved.
Whanonga Pono/Our Values
1. We value people.
We believe that all people have intrinsic and equal value, and that everyone deserves justice, peace and opportunity. We don’t view people as projects or statistics.
2. We respect difference.
We celebrate the richness of diversity in human cultures, traditions and faiths and we look to build on common ground and similarities while not minimising or ignoring differences. We recognise that people’s identities are multi-layered and that labels are often ineffective.
3. We practice hospitality.
Together we are dedicated to fostering connection and understanding- Cultural Conversations
We believe that everyone deserves to be welcomed and included, and that nobody should be isolated or lonely. We recognise that people coming together around the arts can be transformational for our communities and we encourage a safe space of belonging.
4. We act with integrity.
We seek to be honest about what we do and why and seek to keep relationships at the centre of our work.
5. We are reflective.
We seek to learn from our mistakes. We are flexible, adapting to opportunities and needs as they arise. We work hard to find creative solutions.
Team Members
Tanya Nock
Founder
Tanya comes from an Arts and refugee background. In October 2019, she co created Cultural Conversations with Padma Naidu as part of Nelson Arts festival.
She believes that to address antiracism we need to commit to real action by stepping back and empowering our marginalised communities.
Chandra Tandukar
IT Support
Chandra, originally from Nepal, came to study the IT programme at NMIT, Nelson. He has stepped up as a freelancer in Web Development and Digital Marketing. He is passionate about helping the community through technology and believes that digital technology can preserve and promote the culture and recreate community connections.
Prasangie Kamburawala
Kaitiaki of the space on Mondays
I'm Prasangie Kamburawala, a Sri Lankan-born, fully qualified hair stylist based in Nelson with almost 18 years of experience in the hair industry. My journey began in Dubai before I returned to Sri Lanka, where I owned and operated my own hair salon.
Claudia
Global Stitch Up Support
Hola, I'm Claudia from Colombia.
I have been living in NZ for 4 years and love my life in Nelson. Making gifts in general and toys for Christmas is something I enjoy a lot. I'm so glad to be part of the opportunities Cultural Conversations provides, particularly to join in the many craft activities.
Global Stitch Up
We Connect | We Support | We Equip
At Cultural Conversations we strive to create a place and space where people can come together and build a shared sense of belonging, enriching individual wellbeing and resilience.
Many things can enrich life and give it meaning and people are less likely to become isolated if they regularly take part in activities they find interesting or fulfilling.
We believe that everyone deserves to be welcomed and included, and that nobody should be isolated or lonely. We recognise that people coming together around the arts can be transformational for our communities.
Global Stitch up is a creative hub based at Cultural Conversations where we want women from diverse backgrounds to
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Feel safe and empowered.
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Upskill but also learn from each other’s cultural traditions.
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Engage in conversation and make new friends.
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Gain business independence and responsibility.
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Feel motivated.
By supporting our project our dreams and wishes are that the host community can play a vital role in powering economic growth and reducing inequalities.
Global Stitch Up Artists
Mio
Global Stitch Up Artist
Purnatta
Global Stitch Up Artist
Swati
Global Stitch Up Artist
Prastuta
Global Stitch Up Artist
Wahida
Global Stitch Up Artist
Marcela
Global Stitch Up Artist
Danna
Global Stitch Up Artist
Lucy
Global Stitch Up Artist
Our Kaupapa Guardians
Sally O'Neill
Policy, driver, community
Kia ora koutou,
My name is Sally O’Neill and I am co-chair of the Cultural Conversations Trust. I joined the Trust a year ago after being involved in one of Cultural Conversations events- Casual Conversations. This introduced me to the wonderful world of aroha, shared experience and unconditional acceptance that makes this community so special.
Ali Kawaji
Financial prep and IT
Ali was born in Iraq and works at NMIT as an IT tutor.
“I have always wanted to help build culturally diverse communities that empower people to share their talents and skills and offer a range of ideas and expertise, enabling those to learn from a more diverse collection of refugees and migrants living here in New Zealand.
Allize Mangar
Preparing Agendas, minutes
Growing up here in Aotearoa as a refugee it was challenging to find community outside of Bhutanese refugees. This made me feel isolated from the wider Nelson which became even more paramount as I approached adulthood, that I connected with alike communities. Several years ago when I first attended one of Cultural Conversations events I was drawn to how it was so community.
Kirsten Nalder (Ngāi tahu)
Governance mentor, policy
I am privileged to have been invited to join the trustees of Cultural Conversations. The Kaupapa of the work done sits alongside my values of Whanau, Community, Relationship and Whakawhanaungatanga. A community that is open, accessible, diverse and brings with it the knowledge and lived experiences of many to share and enhance the growth of our next generations is a special and treasured Taonga.
Imogen Myer
Youth Governance Trainee, community
My name is Imogen, and I am honored to serve as the rangatahi (youth) representative on the Cultural Conversations Board. I come from a Jamaican and Pakeha heritage and spent the majority of my childhood in Samoa. It is a privilege to bring a youth perspective to this community.
Christina Simkanin
Fundraising, Admin
I am deeply grateful to serve on the board of Cultural Conversations.
I come to this mahi with a background in science, community organising, and systems thinking. I hold a PhD in Biology, and much of my professional life has focused on understanding how living systems thrive and what conditions allow them to be resilient, adaptive, and interconnected. Increasingly, I see community in the same way.
Loren McPherson
Kaupapa Guardians
Kia ora,
My name is Loren McPherson and I am excited to be a part of this meaningful kaupapa.
I grew up in Nelson and was raised in this community, and I am now raising my own children here.
I have an extensive background in social work across community services, health, kaupapa Māori, migration, and former refugee support.