Mural full of voices: participation beyond performance

This is Katya from YANZ with more reflections on the Rangatahi Open Mic that we set up as part of the Ara Taiohi Youth Week!

Following up from our previous newsletter with photos from the event, we would like to thank everyone who contributed to the Youth Week Mural at the Open Mic.

Having attended various events across Tāmaki Makaurau in the past couple of weeks and immersed myself in the different environments YANZ’s partner organisations create to uplift youth voices, it has become incredibly clear that there is a need for spaces where rangatahi can be heard and understood without external pressure.

For the special Youth Week edition of the Rangatahi Open Mic, we decided to organise an adjacent activity that involved a collaborative mural inviting rangatahi to share their thoughts, art, poetry, and ideas around the prompt:

“If you had a worldwide microphone, what would you say?”

We began by placing an empty sheet of paper on the table and writing prompt ideas next to the main question, such as “Young people need more of…” or “Something that keeps me going is….” These prompts intended to provide some direction for those who were unsure how to answer the question at first. This sparked discussions about why we create, what gives us hope, what young people need, and many other important questions that are worth reflecting on, making for a supportive and accessible space where creativity is at the heart.

Looking in from the outside, I saw the mural as a source of permission for low-pressure participation and open expression. This was especially fitting given that the event took place during Youth Week 2026, with this year’s theme being:

Taringa whakarongo! Ki te reo o ngā taiohi!
Our voices matter! We deserve to be heard. 

The collaborative mural at this month’s Open Mic became a reflection of exactly that.

Some approached the table a little cautiously at first, but as more people began contributing, the atmosphere became increasingly relaxed. Rangatahi and attendees gathered around the table and responded to each other’s thoughts before the Open Mic and in between performances, with conversations flowing naturally. Some returned throughout the night to add more thoughts, doodles, lyrics, and reflections, gradually building on each other’s ideas. What began as a mostly empty sheet of paper slowly transformed into a colourful collective archive of youth voice.

The overarching themes centred on self-love, self-compassion, and close bonds with the people around us. Contributions included phrases such as “Be exactly who you are! Nobody does it better!”, “We are all mosaics of everyone we’ve ever loved”, “Keep it ZEN”. Together, all these inputs embraced a shared longing for community—the very thing YANZ works to nurture across Tāmaki Makaurau every day.

The mural created an entry point for rangatahi not wanting the spotlight of performing on stage. Alongside the opportunity to perform at the Open Mic itself, the benefit of the Youth Week collaborative mural as an adjacent activity was that it created another avenue for participation for those seeking visibility without external pressure. The mural in a welcoming and warm space of the Community Gribblehirst Hub extended participation behind the stage and created an environment surrounded by community-building. 

It became a visual extension of what YANZ events already do so well: creating spaces where young people feel comfortable enough to be heard and take creative risks. Yet, it reminded us that creativity takes place in many forms.

It is clear that there are young people wanting spaces to create, organisations committed to creating those spaces, and communities eager to get involved or observe — the challenge for arts organisations across Tāmaki Makaurau is now to find thoughtful and accessible ways to facilitate spaces that allow rangatahi to come and get involved, as they want to.

This night reminded us how powerful creativity is when shared in a collaborative environment without pressure. As YANZ continues growing, we hope to keep creating similar spaces where young people feel not only welcomed but also genuinely heard.

Ngā mihi to Dayton, one of our attendees and a film student, for generously filming and editing a video of the Open Mic, which you can now watch on our YouTube! We love seeing members of our community contribute their talents in different ways, and we are so grateful for the time he put into capturing the atmosphere of the evening. Be sure to check out his work and give him a follow on Instagram.

See you at the next one!

Warmly,

The YANZ Team