The PANNZ - Performing Arts Network New Zealand - Arts Market took place this week - with three days of networking, showcases and discussions.
Creative New Zealand announced a new Festivals Commissioning and Presentation Fund at the market - $2 million dollars will be put aside for delivery by PANNZ to enable festivals and presenters to commission more new New Zealand works.
A new annual award was also announced between PANNZ and the major Edinburgh Fringe venue Summerhall to see funding, support and mentoring for exceptional emerging artists to take their work to Edinburgh.
At the conference, contemporary dance company Footnote New Zealand also named it's new artistic director.
Anita Hunziker has performed as a dancer across Australia and with Dance north - and had a decade-long stint with the World of WearableArt as Assistant Choreographer, then as Assistant Show Director.
Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architect's highest honour has been awarded to Dr Deirdre Brown.
Brown is the first academic to be awarded the Gold Medal - and also the first Māori woman to be given the honour.
Brown was appointed head of Te Pare School of Architecture and Planning at the University of Auckland in 2019 which made her the first indigenous woman in the world to hold such a position.
It came 30 years after she started training as an architect and her contribution in particular to the development and recognition of Māori architecture has been particularly heralded.
National Concerto Competition 2024 Winners - Peter Gjelsten, Hazuki Katsukawa and Ben van Leuven Photo: Supplied
It was first equal at last night's National Concerto Competition Final in Christchurch.
Violinist - Peter Gjelsten and clarinet player Ben Van Leuven - both from Wellington were awarded first equal place.
It's only the 2nd time in the competition's 56-year history first place has been shared.
Violinist Hazuki Katsukawa was given 3rd place.
The finale concert saw top young instrumentalists each presenting a major concerto accompanied by the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra under conductor Benjamin Northey.
The judges described the performances as of a particularly exceptional standard and reiterated the important role a competition of this calibre plays in preparing outstanding young New Zealand artists for a career on the world stage.
The online arts and culture publication The Pantograph Punch will be going on hiatus from the end of this month - 14 years after first starting.
In an email to its readers, the publication says "there are many systemic issues underpinning arts publishing and they've only become harder and not easier to swim through"
The Pantograph Punch started as a blog on tumblr and became a significant platform for coverage and criticism of the arts in Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Office of Hawaiian Affairs will be a major sponsor at the 13th Festival of Pacific Arts and Culture - also known as FestPAC with funding of almost $2.5 million dollars.
It's the world's largest celebration of Indigenous Pacific Islanders and will be hosted in Hawaii this year.
Delegates from 28 Pacific Island nations including New Zealand will attend in June.
Winner of the Premier Award at the Zonta Ashburton Female Art Awards, Marie Porter with her work The Rocks. Photo: supplied
The Zonta Ashburton Female Art Awards highlights the work of emerging mid-career female artists in Waitaha Canterbury.
35 finalists were selected from 60 entries for the Premier Award - won by Marie Porter for her work - The Rocks. It combines rocks found from Horomaka Banks Peninsula with handmade rocks cast from bronze, clay, papier-mâché, to create a collection that she encourages viewers to touch.
Along with a cash prize of $4000 - Porter has also earned a solo exhibition at the Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum in 2025.
The Young Generation Award was given to Jenny Wang for her sculptural entry - Flicker.
