London friends send Gita relief for Nuku'alofa art club [1]
Wednesday, May 30, 2018 - 21:48
A group of young local artists in Nuku'alofa who lost their workshop and clubroom in Cyclone Gita have been assisted with donations of art materials coming to Tonga all the way from London, United Kingdom.
The art materials arrived this month and were presented to the Seleka youth club by Angela and James Glover of Happy Sailor Tattoo, who organised the supplies.
Angela said individuals from three advertising agencies: Grey London, The & Partnership, and Uncommon, collaborated to get two large gift boxes of donations sent over to Tonga. The boxes contain, books, paints, paintbrushes, felt tip pens, crayons, coloured pencils, some canvases and various other art bits and pieces. Another box arrived from Havas Agency.
After Seleka lost everything and the club did not have funds to buy new materials, she contacted a few friends back home in the UK to help out.
"I told them about the incredible work Tevita [Latu] and Taniela [Petelo] do for the community and for young people who have dropped out of school or come from broken homes - and how important it is to keep this going."
Angela has helped organise exhibitions of the young artists' work, and locally the BSP bank has given sponsorship to their creative endeavors.
"Our fundraising exhibition raised over $1,100 in sales, $300 donations and four private commissions," she said.