Claire Murdoch To Be Senior Manager, Arts Development At Creative New Zealand

Creative New Zealand has announced that Claire Murdoch is to join the organisation as Senior Manager, Arts Development. The role oversees Creative New Zealand’s work in arts practice and pathways, investment, development, and funding.

Claire joins Creative New Zealand from her leading role as Head of Publishing at Penguin Random House New Zealand. Alongside experience in publishing at Te Papa Press and Allen & Unwin, Claire has advised on audience and digital strategy and led projects in the development of digital and multi-media storytelling at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa RNZ.

“Claire brings strong commercial and leadership experience to this role, along with her deep knowledge of literature and digital media, and decades of close work with writers, artists, iwi and communities to tell their stories and connect with audiences,” Creative New Zealand’s Chief Executive | Pou Whakahaere Stephen Wainwright says.

“Her record of achievements reflects her ability to bring teams together, create meaningful and longstanding partnerships, understand audiences and generate growth.”

“We’ve already partnered with Claire in some of her other roles, and she’s been an assessor on our arts and literature panels. We welcome her commitment to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi in our mahi and her experience collaborating with indigenous organisations and artists,” Wainwright says.

Her values such as manaakitanga, mahitahi, tauutuutu, te taumata very much reflect our wider organizational values, including te ngākau hihiko, māhaki. She has a strong sense of how to engage via a Te Ao Māori lens.

We were fortunate to have a very strong shortlist for the role. Claire impressed us with her very clear and persuasive communication style, warmth, wit and commitment to the arts and the people with whom she works.

Claire joins Creative New Zealand as it continues to transform its approach to supporting the arts. The contestable grants programme was updated and relaunched after consultation last year. The next step is underway now, with the focus on arts organisations and their communities.
“I know I’m stepping in to a transformation process. Luckily, we are building on the superb work and community engagement of the previous team and I’m familiar with uncertainty and working with teams through change” Claire Murdoch says.

“It’s a necessary part of responding to changes in your environment, in sector and audience needs, and in technologies,” Murdoch says.

Claire doesn’t want to change what drew her to the role.

“I’ve always been profoundly impressed by my first-hand experience of Creative New Zealand’s work, and especially with the calibre of its people, its commitment long-term to the value, impact, and importance of all arts on a societal level and its transparency. I want those things to stay the same.”

Claire Murdoch takes up her position on 5 August.

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