$10,000 on Offer to Emerging Artists

$10,000 on Offer to Emerging Artists

The NZ Art Show announces that applications are now open for the 2016 Emerging Artist Awards where four art students are eligible to win $2,500 each.

Established in 2012, the Emerging Artist Awards recognise and encourage emerging artists who are studying visual arts diploma or degree at an established New Zealand art school. Art schools are able to nominate their top students and art students may also nominate themselves; four recipients will be selected from those nominated.

NZ Art Show executive director Carla Russell says, “The Emerging Artist Awards were established to help emerging artists establish their careers and gain recognition for their work, consistent with our aim to promoting a vibrant art community and a wider appreciation of original New Zealand art”

She hopes that the international success of Holly Zanbergen will provide an incentive for art schools and art students to apply.

In 2013, Zanbergen, a graduate of Dunedin School of Art, Otago Polytech, was a finalist for the 2013 Emerging Artist Award. After graduating, she moved to London and last year she won Best Young Artist Award at the UK’s prestigious National Open Art Awards, netting her a prize pool of £5,000 ($11,000 NZD): quite an achievement for a new graduate.

Carla says that this is a prime example of how the NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards recognises promising artists, “By recognising artists while they’re still studying helps encourage them to continue on with their artistic aspirations,” she says. “We’re absolutely delighted at Holly’s success on the international stage.”

The Emerging Artist Awards were made possible through the generosity of Wellington philanthropist and business executive Richard Nelson, an avid art collector and patron of the NZ Art Show.

Carla encourages art lecturers, tutors and students to apply for these awards “The NZ Art Show provides an ideal platform for emerging artists to increase their profile, get recognition and the opportunity to win a prestigious award.”

In addition to the prize money, the four recipients get the opportunity to exhibit their prize-winning artworks in a high-profile gallery space in the 2016 NZ Art Show, thus enabling their talent to be viewed by thousands of art enthusiasts and collectors.

Last year’s Emerging Artist Awards recipients were: Anna-Belle Graham, Hannah Watkinson and Sam Clague, all from the University of Canterbury’s Ilam School of Fine Arts; and Mish O’Neill from Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design in Auckland.

More information can be found on the NZ Art Show website: http://artshow.co.nz/Art+Awards

Applications can be made to Carla Russell: Carla@artshow.co.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media