WANTED: Artist for regional park residency
8 December 2008

The Auckland Regional Council (ARC) is giving an artist the opportunity to live and work in a regional park through its Artist in Residence project.

Applications are sought for the Artist in Residence project in 2009. The residency is open to visual artists as well as other ‘creators’, including filmmakers, poets, composers, writers and choreographers.

Artist in Residence coordinator Michelle Edge says this project allows artists to immerse themselves in a park and develop a body of work influenced by the place or by their residency experience.

“We are seeking applications from innovative and adventurous artists who are interested in working with ideas and themes that emerge from living closer to nature; in a setting different from their everyday lives,” she says.

“The residency sites are located in some lovely spots but in less well-known regional parks: Awhitu Regional Park, Waharau Regional Park and the Hunua Ranges Regional Park. All sites are near either a forest, a beach or a wetland area.”

The artist in residence will generate artwork which will be shared with park visitors, raising the artist’s profile and giving the public an opportunity to experience the park through their eyes.

Accommodation in a park house is provided for free and an artist’s fee is also offered to contribute to the creative process. The selected artist will take up residence for an eight week period between September and November 2009.

Parks and Heritage Committee Chair Sandra Coney says this project builds on the success of the previous Artist in Residence project which gave artists Nic Moon and Derek March the chance to respond to some stunning sites and settings.

“The ARC is committed to telling some great stories creatively and through art that is inspired by our regional parks

The closing date for applications is 16 February 2009.

For more information about the residency and application process please visit the Auckland Regional Council website www.arc.govt.nz/parks/artistinresidence or phone Sandra Gardiner on 09 366 2000 x8038

ENDS

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