Affordable Art Show launches careers

Backgrounder
June 2009

Affordable Art Show launches careers

The annual New Zealand Affordable Art Show in Wellington launches the careers of many of this country’s up-and-coming artists and introduces ordinary New Zealanders to art at prices they can afford.

The sixth annual show, run by the New Zealand Affordable Art Trust, will be held from Friday July 31 to Sunday August 2 in Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena. The show displays the works of about 800 selected artists to an audience of up to 10,000, making it the largest art sale in New Zealand.

“We have introduced affordable art priced between $100 and $5000 to ordinary New Zealanders with the result that sales over the past five years have returned nearly $3 million to the artists,” trust executive director Carla Russell says.
The New Zealand Affordable Art Show first opened in 2004 after a group of art-loving Wellingtonians formed a trust to create an opportunity for artists from all round the country to showcase and sell their work. The trust’s motto is: art is for everyone.

“The show is about accessibility and affordability. We are a charitable trust and, because of this, only take a 15% commission on sales of artwork. This is a real drawcard for artists at differing stages of their career and enables us to keep the prices affordable for the art lover,” Ms Russell says.

The trust also offers incentives for artists to further their careers. Single artist walls, introduced in 2007, are a means for artists to feature a larger range of their work and to discuss their works with the public.
Last year the trust offered a $5000 scholarship to Wellington-based painter Julian Knap who used it to tour London in preparation for capturing on canvas the landmarks and essence of England’s capital in a similar manner to his well-known Trek through Wellington.

This year a $5000 signature piece award will go to the best of 10 artworks selected by a panel of judges from artist nominations. The 10 outstanding artworks will be displayed on a signature panel at the show so each selected artist will enhance their profile.

Each year about 1000 artists register for the show and their works undergo a selection process by a panel of art experts and enthusiasts so only the best go on show. Each artist, except if leasing a single artist wall, is restricted to three pieces. About 3500 artworks are displayed on a maze of panels that lead viewers past every item in the TSB Arena’s 2200 square metres of exhibition space. People take their purchases with them when they pay. As artworks sell, others from the artists’ repertoires are hung in their place.

“Every year, the quality of art submitted gets stronger, as does the show’s following, which means we are seeing more original New Zealand art works featuring in homes around the country,” Ms Russell says.

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