10th NZ Art Show a hit despite earthquakes

6 August 2013

10th NZ Art Show a hit despite earthquakes

Concerns that the recent earthquakes in Wellington would affect attendances were eased slightly when a healthy number of people attended the NZ Art Show 2013. According to Carla Russell, the Show’s Executive Director, hardened art lovers weren’t deterred from attending and were rewarded with an outstanding show.

Over 8,300 people attended the three day show, which ran from run from Friday, 26 July to Sunday, 28 July 2013.

“The quality of the art exhibited was the best yet and feedback from the show’s visitors, many of whom had attended previous shows, suggests that 2013 marked a high point in the show’s evolution,” said Carla Russell, NZ Art Show Executive Director.

“From all accounts, our 10th annual Show provided a wonderful visitor experience which included demonstrations of traditional Maori weaving, painting, clay work, needlecraft, illustration and sculpture; in addition to live jazz music and a new element, the Illuminart Gallery featuring artworks with a light element.

“We are very grateful to all those who made this year’s Show a success; the artists who exhibited their work, the volunteers, and all those who hang the works and help throughout the Show, the Friends of the Trust and our Trustees, our sponsors and, most importantly, all the people who visited the Show this year.

“1,441 artworks were sold totalling $913,000, which is a great result for the artists and evidence that New Zealanders fully embrace owning original New Zealand art”

While numbers were down on last year when more than 10,000 people visited the Show and over 1,700 artworks were sold; its organisers think that it was an excellent result in light of the recent earthquakes the Capital has experienced.

“The Show took place the weekend immediately after Wellington experienced its biggest earthquake in living memory. There is no doubt that this deterred a number of those from out of town coming to Wellington for the Show.

“The city’s hotels took a huge hit with weekend occupancy slumping dramatically and the retail sector reportedly suffered similarly as people decided it just wasn’t a good time to spend a weekend in the Capital,” Carla Russell said.

Paekakariki-based artist Ben Timmins’ painting Entrance, won the Show’s top art award, the $5,000 people’s choice ‘Signature Piece Art Award, and four art students won $2,500 ‘Emerging Artist Awards’. The four recipients were: Daniel Roberts from the Dunedin School of Art at Otago Polytechnic; Patrick Hickley from the College of Creative Arts, Massey University; and Helen Clegg and Veronika Djoulai from the Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design, Auckland.

The NZ Art Show’s Emerging Artist Awards recognise the work of exceptional emerging artists and New Zealand’s art schools and were made possible through the generosity of a New Zealand Art Show patron and trustee, Wellingtonian Richard Nelson.

All art exhibited at the Show must be original, produced by a New Zealander or New Zealand resident and for sale for between $50 and $5,000.

The NZ Art Show’s vision is to: encourage New Zealanders to celebrate their identity and culture by buying local art; promote and expose new, emerging and established New Zealand artists by providing opportunities to further their development; and to promote the appreciation of New Zealand art and artists. This is realised in an iconic event – the annual NZ Art Show, which has become the largest curated art sale in New Zealand.

Carla Russell says, “We see our role as championing New Zealand artists; making their art accessible and providing a means for talented and creative artists to further their careers. This year we had 300 artists represented at the Show. With this year’s Show and the earthquakes hopefully behind us, we are focussed on planning the 2014 Show.”

About the NZ Art Show
The NZ Art Show is an annual three-day art exhibition held each year in Wellington’s Events Centre on Queens Wharf.

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the show which was established in 2004 and since then, the event has grown in size, reputation and quality. The exhibition showcases some 3,000 artworks by more than 300 artists; it is the largest curated art sale of its kind in this country. Since its inception, it has sold some $8 million of art, 11,000 artworks, and returned nearly $7 million back to artists – making the show a significant contributor to New Zealand’s arts community.

The New Zealand Art Show is governed by the New Zealand Affordable Art Trust (NZAAT). Its vision is to promote New Zealand artists and help them access resources and opportunities to further their development, and to promote the appreciation of New Zealand art to the wider public.

The NZAAT is a registered charity (# CC28710) under the Charities Act 2005.

www.artshow.co.nz

ENDS

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