New Zealand Art Show Finalist in the Wellington Gold Awards

News Release 19 April 2012

NEW ZEALAND ART SHOW – FINALIST IN THE WELLINGTON GOLD AWARDS

The New Zealand Affordable Art Trust (NZAAT), the Trust responsible for the annual New Zealand Art Show, is a finalist in the Wellington Gold Awards (Vibrant Gold category).

Established in 1999, the annual Gold Awards ‘celebrate businesses that keep Wellington sparkling’ and are the Capital’s pre-eminent business awards.

The New Zealand Art Show’s chief executive Carla Russell said, “We’re over the moon. This recognition validates all of our hard work and it reinforces our role as a significant arts organisation that has sound business practices.

“We started back in 2004 as the New Zealand Affordable Art Show but our goal has remained constant: to promote New Zealand art and encourage New Zealanders to buy original New Zealand art. Since then, like the Gold Awards, we’ve grown in size, reputation and quality to become an established feature of Wellington’s event calendar.

The Vibrant Gold Award spotlights excellence in events, promotions and visitor facilities that help enliven our community and draw visitors to our region.

Over the past eight years, the Show has become the largest of its kind, showcasing quality original New Zealand art at affordable prices, has generated sales of around $6 million worth of art, and returned over $5 million to artists

“Our goal is to promote emerging and established New Zealand artists and provide them with an outlet and opportunities to further their development. Over that time, we have also developed a number of awards that recognise artistic excellence in artists.

Carla Russell said, “Last year, more than 10,000 people visited the Show and 1,657 artworks were sold. That was a tremendous result, especially given the state of the economy. The show also draws people to Wellington from throughout New Zealand. Our research shows that in 2011, 40% of those who attended came from outside Wellington City. This has a huge impact on local cafes and restaurants, accommodation, the city’s retail sector and local business.

“We are particularly delighted to be recognised by the Gold Awards given that, in its eight years of operation, the NZAAT has received next to no public funding, making us one of the few, if not the only, major arts organisations in New Zealand to miss out on these funds. Through sheer determination and tenacity we’ve proven that we can run an arts organisation sustainably."

This year’s New Zealand Art Show runs from Friday, 3 August to Sunday, 5 August in Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena on Queens Wharf.

ENDS

About the New Zealand Art Show
The New Zealand Art Show is an annual three-day art exhibition held each year in Wellington’s Events Centre on Queens Wharf. This year’s show will run from Friday, 3 August to Sunday, 5 August 2012.
Established in 2004 as the New Zealand Affordable Art Show, the last eight years has seen the event grow in size, reputation and quality. The exhibition showcases 3,000+ artworks by more than 400 artists; it is the largest art exhibition in this country. Since its inception, it has sold around $6 million worth of art, returning over $5 million back to artists – making the show a significant contributor to New Zealand’s arts community.
A gala evening is held on the eve of the show’s opening to the public (Thursday 2 August).
All tickets can be purchased through www.artshow.co.nz
The New Zealand Art Show is governed by the New Zealand Affordable Art Trust (NZAAT). Its vision is to promote New Zealand artists and help them access resources and opportunities to further their development, and to promote the appreciation of New Zealand art to the wider public.
The NZAAT is a registered charity (# CC28710) under the Charities Act 2005.

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