Braveheart Trust Launches Inaugural Art Exhibition

29 March 2010
News Release

Braveheart Trust Launches Inaugural Art Exhibition To Benefit At-Risk Youth

A major exhibition of quality, affordable and collectible New Zealand art will be held in Auckland by the Braveheart Youth Trust in late May to support young people who are at risk of entering our courts or prisons.

The biennial Braveheart Art Exhibition is being curated by New Zealand contemporary art writer, and advocate of the visual arts, Liz Caughey, who is using her experience and knowledge to raise funds for initiatives that benefit young New Zealanders at risk of living in and out of the justice system.

The exhibition promises to be an exciting display of up to 600 pieces of art including sculpture and objets d’art. “We have been working on the exhibition for over a year. I am fortunate that my association with artists from all over the country over the past 22 years allows me to curate such a unique exhibition,” said Caughey.

The Trust, founded by Liz Caughey in 2009, will support programmes that reduce the number of young New Zealanders coming before the courts and entering prison.

Caughey said the Trust’s focus was on supporting programmes that diverted young people towards constructive lives, and helped them to recognise their own unique potential. “We want them to question their current lifestyle, see new directions, make different choices and move towards fulfilling that potential.”

The Right Track education programme is the first project to be supported by Braveheart. Proceeds from the exhibition this year will be applied to re-establishing The Right Track in the Central Auckland Youth Court of Judge Tony FitzGerald. The Right Track has an 85% success rate and is widely supported by the New Zealand Police and Youth Court judges.

“The Right Track has a proven track record of promoting positive change in young people’s behaviour and reducing the risk of them re-offending. I have seen first-hand how it brings home to participants the importance of making good choices and the consequences of making bad ones”, said Judge FitzGerald.

Judge FitzGerald said he also acknowledges and supports the role of the Braveheart Youth Trust in making the return of The Right Track possible.

The Braveheart Exhibition will be held from Friday 28th – Sunday 30th May at the ASB Showgrounds in Auckland. A Gala Preview will be held on Thursday 27th May - tickets are now available from info@braveheart.org.nz

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