Last night at the Viaduct Events Centre on Auckland's waterfront the Arts Foundation, along with Macquarie Private Wealth, announced the recipients in the new national awards for artists from a range of art disciplines.
The Arts Foundation Awards
Viaduct Events Centre
November 29
Last night at the Viaduct Events Centre on Auckland’s waterfront, the Arts Foundation, along with Macquarie Private Wealth, announced the recipients in the new national awards for artists from a range of art disciplines.
The Arts Foundation awarded $360,000 to ten of New Zealand’s finest artists including five $50,000 Laureate Awards, three $25,000 New Generation Awards, the $25,000 Marti Friedlander Photographic Award and the inaugural $10,000 Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award.
“Arts organisations, philanthropists, commercial supporters of the arts and many of our best artists attended tonight’s awards in what will be our flagship event to showcase our nation’s commitment to the arts,” said Fran Ricketts, chairwoman of The Arts Foundation. “These awards are an opportunity to reflect with pride on all of the achievements in New Zealand arts and to celebrate this year’s recipients.”
The Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards are an example of philanthropic support for the arts with all the awards presented being privately funded by the Arts Foundation and its patrons.
The Arts Foundation expects the Awards to grow as more artists are supported by patrons partnering with The Arts Foundation. For example, the Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award was established through a donation from Ann Mallinson following the sale of Mallinson Rendel Publishing. The award recognises the extraordinary talent of Kiwi children's book illustrators.
Laureates announced included musician Whirimako Black, photographer Fiona Pardington, writer Emily Perkins, filmmaker Leanne Pooley and choreographer/director Lemi Ponifasio. Musician/artist Sam Hamilton, who is currently on tour with Lemi in Europe, received a New Generation Award alongside photographer Ben Cauchi and playwright Eli Kent. Fiona Pardington's brother Neil Pardinton received the Marti Friedlander Photographic Award and the inaugural recipient of the Mallinson Rendel Award is David Elliot.
The Arts Foundation had previously announced Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand as the naming sponsor of the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards. "These awards enable us to demonstrate our pride in New Zealand's creative sector and to invest in talented artists," said Ian Witters, head of Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand.
Alongside the ceremony at the Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland’s waterfront will host a series of free public events. The Wynyard Quarter Art Series events was also announced with a film series, music concerts, a series of phrases from writers displayed in the Wynyard Quarter and evening events at the Stoneleigh pop up container bar. There will also be an Arts Foundation information hub where people can learn about the recipients of Arts Foundation Awards and view the TVNZ 7 series, The Artists.
Now in its twelfth year, The Arts Foundation has proven without doubt that this small nation does punch above its weight in the creative and performing arts - music, dance, literature, the visual and film making; all genres, including the unique and indigenous. By the end of this year the Foundation will have donated $3.5 million to 130 artists.
Founding trustee Sir Ronald Scott said, “Our goal is to drive home a widened public awareness of our nation’s capabilities and reasons for pride not merely in domains of sport but also to ensure high achievers in the world of art and culture, who call themselves Kiwis, also deserve acclaim, esteem and to be the subject of collective national pride”.
