Archive for the ‘Funding & awards’ Category

Calling all artists! Entries are now open for 17th Annual Wallace Art Awards 2008 and you’ve got until 5pm on 7 August 2008 to get your entries in. These prestigious awards, run by The James Wallace Arts Trust, are now in their 17th year. This year the judges are Linda Tyler, Dick Frizzell and the 2007 winner James Robinson (see image).

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Entries are open for the 11th annual NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts. Art sponsors have until 29 May to enter. Now in their eleventh year, the Awards acknowledge those partnerships between business and the arts that demonstrate a high level of creativity, commitment and vision, as well as important business benefits.

To be eligible, companies must have sponsored an arts event or organisation in the year to June 2008.

The winners will be announced by the Prime Minister at the black tie Awards Gala dinner at the Auckland Town Hall, Wednesday 30 July 2008. You can get your entry form at www.bulletpr.co.nz

NZLive.com would like to offer a big congrats to the thoroughly deserving winners of Museums Aotearoa’s inaugural awards for industry excellence.

Jim Geddes has won the individual achievement award, nominated by his peers. He’s been described as quiet, unassuming, engaging and totally committed to his work. Jim is a bit of a visionary - he has a very strong commitment to bringing contemporary art within reach of smaller communities. He’s done what many thought impossible – put Gore on the national cultural map.

As Head of Arts and Heritage at Gore District Council, Jim has developed the town’s Hokonui Heritage Centre, the Eastern Southland Gallery, and the Croydon Aviation Museum and expanded Gore’s historical museum. Jim has also been Project Manager for the Southern Odyssey trail and chairman of Hokonui Moonshiners’ Festival.

Jim has also been recognised for his work in acquiring major gifted additions to the Eastern Southland’s collection including works by Ralph Hotere and the collection of Dr John Money. There is a great feature article from The Listener on The Art of Being Gore.

In other Museums Aotearoa awards news: Pearson and Associates Architects’ won recognition for their work at the Colin McCahon house in Titirangi, Auckland. Their design work involving interactive displays and audio-visuals saw them awarded for innovative technical development. The award will be shared with Neil Semple and his Christchurch Art Gallery team for development of their Audio on Demand service.

The service allows users to listen to audio tours of the museum collections either at the gallery or at home, via the gallery website. Interviews with selected artists and curators are available, as is a fascinating history of public art in Christchurch. During your next visit to the museum, make sure you gaze upon some of NZ’s most iconic works with the dulcet tones of Sam Neill narrating.

Whanganui Regional Museum won the exhibition/visitor achievement award for their work on Te Pihi Mata - The Sacred Eye: Partington’s Photographs of Whanganui. The museum and the Whanganui River iwi repatriated to Wanganui a large collection of photographic work by WHT Partington who lived and worked in the region from 1892–1908. ‘By working closely with iwi, the museum has presented the photographs to emphasise their historical, cultural and spiritual significance to the whole community and its visitors,’ said judging panellist Jenny Gibbs.

This really is a very good exhibition, which brings the history of the region to life, and ties it firmly into the present. Another nice feature is that you can order prints of the photographs on display.

For more information on the awards please visit the website of Museums Aotearoa.

Congratulations to the cultural groups and organisations that recieved recognition for their business acumen this week, when they were named as finalists in Wellington’s premium business awards – the Wellington Region Gold Awards.

In the Vibrant Gold category, which focuses on events and facilities, the finalists are: The New Zealand International Film Festival’s Wellington Film Festival, The NewDowse, Vector Wellington Round the Bays and the Wellington Racing Club.

The Flight of the Conchords, the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Ninox Television and Weta Productions are the finalists in the Creative Gold category which
recognises the standout performers in film, media and creative content industries.

The Wellington Region Gold Awards for business have been running for ten years and were established to celebrate the leading businesses in the region. The awards organisers recognise that “successful businesses don’t just benefit the people who run them, or the people who work for them - successful businesses benefit the whole community.” The winners will be announced at the Gold Awards gala dinner on 1 May 2008.

Be sure to check out the wares of some of the finalists over the Easter weekend. The New Zealand International Film Festival kicks off an excellent World Cinema Showcase in Wellington today, which runs until 6 April. And don’t miss more craft-o-rama when Craft 2.0 returns to The NewDowse on Saturday 22 March from 11am to 3pm.

Two great resources issued recently - both available for free download.

‘The 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online’ explains the workings of online media distribution and marketing and is of particular interest to indie music labels and artists. Very practical and comprehensive. Here’s a summary of the list of 20 to get you interested. While you’re at it, check out author Andrew Dubber’s The Wireless blog. Nice selection of MP3s to browse and plenty of info on what NZ musos are up to in the UK.

‘The Touring Manual’ by Fenn Gordon has been re-issued by Creative New Zealand. Also practical, comprehensive and free to download, the manual is revised with a new chapter on international touring. Touring provides artists with further income, gives new audiences access to the work and lets performers refine their practice and develop the work beyond that initial season. CNZ says the new edition will be available from mid august from their website; here’s a link to the first edition.

And while we’re talking touring, CNZ has announced a ‘quick response’ touring fund designed to support well-developed international tours which have been negotiated as a result of prior CNZ investment. The fund is available to companies involved in the Australian Performing Arts Market showcase programme as well as to productions with firm international tour offers that need a fast response to secure the deal. Check out criteria on CNZ’s website.