A gateway to Tairāwhiti East Cape from the north is the town of Ōpōtiki in the Bay of Plenty.
As a creative hub local organisation Ōpōtiki Arts has a new leash of life with this year 95 members in their ranks, and since 1977 they've owned their own premises, a historic 1898 hall.
Our guest on Regional Wrap this week, and a spokesperson for Ōpōtiki Arts is something of a local cultural legend.
Dorothy-Anne Wilson or Dot, as she's known to many, was a founding member of the Opotiki Community Arts Council back in the day. In 2017 she was awarded a Queen Service Medal for her contribution to art and community.
The former manager of Ōpōtiki Museum she joins us from the coast on Culture 101.
