We chat with Barbara Carney

15 June 2020

  • Manukau
  • News

We sat down with the passionate Community Manager for the Manukau Beautification Charitable Trust, Barbara Carney, who has been a part of the trust for 16 years.

Starting as a trust who were contracted to the Manukau City and Auckland City Councils in 2001 to eliminate graffiti, the trust has grown over the last 19 years to incorporate so much more than tagging removal.

Carney

From Manukau being known as “The Graffiti Capital of the South Pacific” to the vibrant, cultural city it is today, Barbara takes us through the evolution of the trust and Manukau – how it helps community groups, organisations, schools and neighbourhoods on a journey to caring deeply about the urban environment that surrounds them.

In this process, the trust has been restoring the mauri (life force) of these places both for humans and nature, as well as building resilient communities. While graffiti was removed, street art and murals by community artists were commissioned and took the place of the graffiti. The murals were ones of empowerment and were created by community groups, schools, individuals and more, and from multiple different cultural perspectives.

Find out how they continue to work to restore the mauri of Manukau which Panuku works to align with in its plans post COVID - sharing a vision of a vital, connected and colourful city in the south.