Dame Malvina Major Foundation award for promising Wellington actor
Young Wellington actor James Costello Ladanyi says winning a Dame Malvina Major Foundation Arts Excellence Award is an
incredible boost that will help him pursue his dream of a professional career in the performing arts.
In September, the Victoria University of Wellington Theatre and History graduate and former Scots College student will
begin a Master of Arts in Professional Acting at the prestigious Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in the United Kingdom.
The Arts Excellence Award worth $6,000 was awarded by the Wellington Committee of the Dame Malvina Major Foundation as
part of the Foundation’s wider programme to help talented young performing artists to achieve their potential.
James says he is thrilled to have been recognised as a promising young New Zealand performing artist, worthy of the
Foundation’s generous support.
“Pursuing a professional career in the performing arts has been a long term goal of mine. The last five years have been
all about studying, planning and determination to make my acting goals come to fruition, so I could not be more thankful
to the Foundation for the financial assistance and its belief in me.”
Assessors Clarissa Dunn of RNZ Concert and Professor Peter Walls ONZM, Chief Executive Officer of Chamber Music NZ, say
they welcomed the opportunity to examine the lives and achievements of some of Wellington’s talented performing artists.
They commented that James was clearly a motivated, multi-talented and resourceful young man with a strong academic
background and a strong vision of his future as a professional actor.
Dame Malvina Major Foundation Wellington Committee Chair George Troup says the committee was delighted with the response
to the award, with 16 high quality applications received this year.
“We offer our warmest congratulations to James on his success, and our best wishes to the other candidates whom it was
not possible to support this time.”