“Creativity is as important now in education as literacy and we should treat it with the same status.”― Sir Ken Robinson
At Creative Matters, we believe the seed of creativity lives in all of us.
Our range of education based art workshops nurture that creative seed.
Our workshops are not just opportunities to make art, they are much more than that. They teach and encourage a way of thinking, a way of working, a creative approach that can be taken and applied into every aspect of a child's or educator's life.
Creative Matters is an award winning business providing creative, educational opportunities to enrich the lives of our children, educators, artists and community.
Mandy Jakich
Founder and CEO
I am the proud mother of Tayla and Brodie and grandmother to 2 gorgeous boys. I live at Muriwai Beach in Auckland NZ with my husband George and our dog Mali. I am a practising (when I can!) artist www.amandajakich.co.nz and have taught for more than 25 years in various capacities at primary and intermediate schools across Auckland.
I have also worked for 4 years as an art educator at the Auckland Art Gallery - New Zealand's largest and finest gallery - where I designed and delivered visual arts programmes to primary, secondary and special needs children, as well as Professional Development courses for teachers.
I founded Creative Matters in response to an increasing need and demand for rich, creative opportunities for children - both in and out of school - with a genuine belief in the value of creative experiences and connections.
8 years on, Creative Matters has blossomed into an award winning, well respected company with a large team of passionate art educators, a Manager and an Administrator. We currently have 16 creative workshops for children after school as well as art workshops every school holidays at 8 venues across Auckland. We facilitate Professional Development courses for primary teachers, Art Parties for children, Creatives in Schools projects and creative opportunities in the community.
Creative Matters also has a podcast where I have conversations with NZ artists about their creative journey, process and art practice - you can find the Creative Matters podcast on your favourite podcast app and on our blog.
To date we've taught more than 800 creative programmes, worked with more than 10,000 children and teachers and facilitated the making of 8 murals in the community with artists and youth.
Hear about Mandy's creative journey, her art practice, creative process and business on our podcast -
just click the pink arrow.
Meet The Team
Our educators are all highly qualified artists and/or teachers with experience in art education.
Suze Kennington
Administrator
Tayla Williams
Manager of Children's Programmes
Lucia Laubscher
Educator | Artist
Chloe Lam
Educator | Artist
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Susie Cropper
Educator | Designer
Eleanor Haydn
Educator | Teacher
Gabriella Williams
Educator | ECE Teacher | Artist
Sonja Drake
Educator / Artist
Melody Yong
Educator | Primary School Teacher
Michelle Reid
Educator | Artist
Angela Heemskerk
Educator | Artist
Ruby Griffin
Educator | Teacher
Anna McLeod
Educator/Artist/Teacher
Robyn Penn
Educator | Artist
Jacqui Cox
Educator
Angela Heape
Educator | ECE Teacher
Tanya Blong
Educator | Artist
Louis Meehan
Educator | Teacher | Artist
Trisha Nestor
Educator/Teacher
Issy Thompson
Educator | Artist
Miriam Laidlaw
Educator/Teacher
Kiran Shanahan
Educator | Artist
Caitlyn Manning
Artist | Educator
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Testimonials
My two sons have loved their classes with Mandy and her Creative Matters team. Creative Matters produces excellent, educational and fun projects that captivate the kids imaginations. Our boys' bedrooms are decorated with their masterpieces and we’ve even framed some of them! We can’t recommend Creative Matters more highly.
Melo Newton
Creative Matters has allowed my daughter to really engage with her creative mindset. She can explore her personal creativity within a guided setting, resulting in amazing work but also learning about artistic techniques and mediums, art history, problem-solving and how to complete a longer project whilst maintaining her ultimate vision. She also has a lot of fun. Creative Matters really brings an element to my child’s learning that she does not get anywhere else and we highly value all it has to offer.
Nicky Osmond
My son always loves being in a Creative Matters workshop. The tutor is such a loving, caring and inspirational teacher, it was one of the best activities my son has had for years. The class is such a relaxing environment and a great space for imagination to thrive.
Soohee Dong
Both my girls have attended creative matters classes from Year 1 through to year 6 and have absolutely loved their learning, creations and teachers. Now I see them looking at all sorts of day to day objects through different artistic lenses. They are always beaming after class and have done some really incredible work in all shapes and forms over the years. I find their class environment safe, caring, positive and a diverse creative outlet for them which I can not recommend highly enough.
Jo Mellor
My daughter has attended numerous school holidays sessions at Creative Matters as well as the term classes. She absolutely loves going and always comes home with marvellous creations. The classes are well structured and the teachers are wonderful. Would highly recommend to anyone.
Chantelle Meyer
My two girls have attended many Creative Matters after-school and holiday programmes for the past four years and I can thoroughly recommend them. The teachers are all really caring and put a lot of effort into engaging and developing student creativity by building on what personally inspires them. I love that it seems to be about the reflective process of making art, not just the beauty of the product at the end (although, many of the works that they bring home are amazing!). A truly high-quality children's activity.
My daughter loves her art class after school on a Tuesday, it’s her favourite day of the week! The class environment is fun and engaging, letting her explore her own creativity while also learning about various aspects of sketch, colour and other artistic mediums – all under the guidance of the Creative Matters teachers who are inspiring and encouraging no matter what level the kids are at.
Maree Greenhough
"Thank God for Mandy and Creative Matters this lockdown! Home-schooling is tough to keep the younger kids constantly enthused, but the weekly art projects, communication and Google-meets have kept Allie happy and engaged. Even excited!"
Claire Smith