Arts Awards a New Zealand First
$360,000 being donated to Kiwi artists at the inaugural red carpet event on November 29

The Arts Foundation is launching New Zealand’s first arts awards. The Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards are the only national awards to celebrate artists from all genres. As other disciplines, such as sport, have a national awards, the Arts Foundation is committed to bringing a focused celebration of the arts to New Zealand.

The Arts Foundation will donate $360,000 to artists on November 29 at a glamorous red carpet event at the Viaduct Event Centre on Auckland’s waterfront. Ten of New Zealand’s finest artists will receive awards for excellence 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.

“We expect arts organisations, philanthropists, commercial supporters of the arts and many of our finest artists to attend the Awards in what will be our flagship event to showcase our nation’s commitment to the arts,” says Fran Ricketts, Chair of The Arts Foundation. “This is 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 is a celebration of philanthropic support for the arts. All awards presented on the evening are 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. Other partnership awards are planned for future ceremonies.

The Arts Foundation has announced Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand as the naming sponsor of the Macquarie Private Wealth New Zealand Arts Awards. "The Awards enable us to demonstrate our pride in New Zealand's creative sector and to invest in talented artists," says 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 will be announced soon, but the Foundation says there are plans for 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 says “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 (accepted) but 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”.

ENDS

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