2024 Baysting Prize For Children’s Champion Goes To:New Zealand Ukulele Trust

APRA AMCOS NZ are delighted to announce the 2024 Baysting Prize for Children’s Champion will be awarded to the New Zealand Ukulele Trust.

In 2019, APRA AMCOS NZ announced a new award to be presented at the 2024 Ngā Manu Tīrairaka | NZ Children’s Music Awards. The Baysting Prize for Children’s Champion is in honour of the late Arthur Baysting - a well-known children’s author, songwriter and advocate who has championed children’s content creators in Aotearoa on behalf of our tamariki, working to provide kiwi kids with accessible art of all varieties that reflects their home and culture, while also inspiring and educating.

The Baysting Prize is presented to an individual, group, or organisation each year who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to the development and wellbeing of New Zealand children, through the creation of or support for music, TV programmes, films, live shows, books, education, or advocacy.

2024 Baysting Prize recipient, the NZ Ukulele Trust was founded in 2007 and has reached over 760 schools across the motu through its Kiwileles Programme and, thanks to sponsors, over 2500 ukuleles have been given to schools through their Ukes in Schools initiative. The online Kiwileles Songbank resource is packed with songs and waiata specifically chosen and arranged for Aotearoa tamariki with a focus on New Zealand songwriters, as well as songs from the Pacific Islands, songs for complete beginners, and celebration songs.

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Chair of the NZUT, Tim Carson says “The New Zealand Ukulele Trust / Te Rūnanga Ukurere o Aotearoa is delighted and honoured to be receiving the 2024 Baysting Prize. Arthur was instrumental in the setting up of the NZUT and was an early judge for our songwriting competitions. We are thrilled that his family continues to support his legacy with this prize, acknowledging the importance of creating content specifically for the children of Aotearoa NZ. We are a charitable trust that relies on the volunteer work of trustees so this award will allow us to increase our reach to more schools across the motu and raise the profile of music education.”

Anthony Healey, APRA AMCOS NZ Head of Operations says “The benefits of music education early in life are well researched. Learning to sing and play an instrument increases confidence, academic progress, empathy, social skills, and sense of wellbeing. But the provision of music varies greatly between schools and funding for programmes tends to be low. The magic of the ukulele is that it is portable, cheap and encourages singing and playing as well as songwriting. Importantly, teachers can teach and learn the ukulele alongside their students. We know that the work of the NZ Ukulele Trust and its kaupapa is one Arthur held close to his heart and it’s an honour to be awarding the 2024 Baysting Prize to such a worthy recipient”.

Kiwileles schools are supported to get together for Kiwilele Jams towards the end of the year. These Jams provide the opportunity for children to experience communal music, as they strum and sing songs together, creating a feeling of belonging. The Trust also runs a songwriting competition for students, with the main prize being publication in the Kiwileles Songbank, plus prizes from current key sponsors Lyn McAllister Music, Kala Brand Music and NZ Rockshop.

The NZUT continues to be inspired by founding patron Bill Sevesi who dreamed that “every child in NZ would get the chance to learn to play the ukulele” and is dedicated to helping tamariki throughout Aotearoa New Zealand realise their musical potential via the ukulele.

NZUT will be honoured and presented with the Baysting Prize for Children’s Champion at the 2024 Ngā Manu Tīrairaka | NZ Children’s Music Awards, a family-friendly invite only ceremony on Sunday 5 May at Tuning Fork, Spark Arena. The show will be hosted by Suzy Cato with awards presented by tamariki from across Aotearoa. There will be live performances, video screenings, and to follow the awards, interactive music-making workshops, afternoon tea, and plenty of fun and games.

Alongside the Baysting Prize, awards will be presented for the below

• APRA Best Children’s Song - Preschool | He Manu Pīpī
• APRA Best Children’s Song - Primary | He Pī Ka Rere
• Recorded Music NZ Best Children’s Music Artist | Te Manu Taki Kerekahu o te Tau
• NZ On Air Best Children’s Music Video | He Manu Tūtei
• Kōkako Award for Best Children's Performer presented by Kiwi Kids Music, NZ Opera and Auckland Philharmonia

Previous Baysting Prize recipients

• 2020 – Arthur Baysting
• 2021 – What Now
• 2022 – Luke Nola
• 2023 – Duffy Books In Homes

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