For many, education is synonymous with uniforms and tote trays, assemblies and sports days. The cool terraces of a lecture theatre; the rotating team of tutors. But another form of education has always existed, and continues in Aotearoa today: teaching that is grounded in relationships, and learning in beloved company.

Past the Tower, Under the Tree offers a portrait of twelve artists and activists crafting a life in community. From street theatre to rap, from the tattoo hut to the meditation hall, each contributor offers a window into unexpected contexts and rich forms of practice.

In these contributions that span love letters to tributes to appeals, we’re invited to reimagine what it means to learn, and to recover a promise in that process: the possibility of a fuller education, where craft and companionship go together.

Featuring Edith Amituanai, Catherine Delahunty, Mohan Dutta, Dominic Hoey, Areez Katki, Emily Parr, Daniel Michael Satele, Kahurangiariki Smith, Mokonui-a-rangi Smith, Richard von Sturmer, and Terri Te Tau.