New Board Members Announced

New Zealand Pacific Studio turns 20 and welcomes its new Board: Chair Dr. Rob Maunsell, Deputy Chair Madeleine Slavick,Treasurer Dr. Lilla Csorgo, Secretary Sandee Lidbetter, Julie Donvin-Irons, Philip Donvin-Irons, Rod Lawrence, Len Lidbetter, Corrinne Oliver, Rawiri Smith and Tara Swan. Nine of the 11 members are new to their roles.

“We are fortunate to have a skilled and eager team as our award-winning residency programme enters its 21st year,” said Dr. Rob Maunsell, Chair, NZ Pacific Studio.

“Among us, we have authors, musicians, actors, educators, business people, communication professionals, an economist, scientist, health coach, environmental educator, and photographers.

“I myself have been involved with NZ Pacific Studio for about ten years now and have cherished the connections made with artists from around Aotearoa and the world.

“We have hosted so many fantastic people and our local community has benefited immensely. Our artists-in-residence regularly visit schools, run public activities, and connect with local creatives.

“Our artists are an eclectic range of writers, musicians, visual artists, environmental artists, an acrobat / physical theatre artist, and more. Recent artists-in-residence have photographed horses at ANZAC Memorial Bridge at Kaiparoro and made banners to fly across six local towns; composed music at Gladstone that was premiered by Wairarapa Community Orchestra for a large crowd at Carterton Events Centre; painted Wairarapa landscapes at ConArt, exhibiting in Featherston and Auckland; created with waste plastic to make a sea-blue installation displayed at Aratoi during Seaweek Kaupapa Moana; written a screenplay based on a Margaret Mahy novel that was performed in Sweden; and much, much more. – over the years, NZ Pacific Studio has welcomed hundreds of artists, providing them with time and space to focus on their projects.

“As a charity organisation, we welcome members. We rely on support. It’s just $10 a year, so please contact us via our website (www.artistresidency.org.nz). For the past several months, we have had to be on hiatus due to the pandemic and its impacts, but we are now preparing to re-open, so it’s an exciting time to get involved.”

Founded in 2001 by Dr Kay Flavell of Dunedin, NZ Pacific Studio is New Zealand’s only member of Res Artis, the global arts residency network. Professor Dame Anne Salmond serves as Patron.

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