04 Jul 2016
Five local authorities are vying to be New Zealand’s best creative place in Local Government New Zealand’s (LGNZ) EXCELLENCE Awards.
The EXCELLENCE awards, now in their third year, recognise and celebrate the outstanding leadership role local government plays within communities. Sponsored by Creative New Zealand the award for best creative place is one of five categories for which local authorities were invited to submit entries.
The ultimate winner of the creative place award will have contributed to, or is contributing to, a more prosperous and vibrant town, city, district or region by incorporating arts and culture in infrastructure, amenities and local services.
Finalists for the Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Best Creative Place are:
- Dunedin City Council, Ara Toi Otepoti: Dunedin’s Arts and Culture Strategy – Dunedin City Council worked with the community to develop the city’s new arts and culture strategy, to push for greater things in the arts and culture space
- Hamilton City Council, Community Transforms a City Dump: An old landfill site has transformed into the ‘International Garden of the Year 2014’. The Hamilton Gardens tells ‘the story of gardens’ and is enjoyed by more than one million visitors each year.
- Napier City Council, Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans: Sea Walls: Murals for Oceans is a ground-breaking public art project, hosted in Napier, combining talented international street artists to paint large scale murals about the plight of the world’s oceans.
- New Plymouth District Council, Len Lye Centre: The newly created Len Lye Centre at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery in New Plymouth is one of the most internationally heralded arts and culture construction projects in recent years.
- Rotorua Lakes Council, Percent-for-Arts: Rotorua Lakes implemented its Percent for Arts policy in 2013, which allows for one per cent of annual capital expenditure to be ring-fenced and invested in public art development and urban and suburban infrastructural enhancement.
“We’re delighted to see the calibre of the finalists for these awards. It’s encouraging to see local authorities supporting creativity and working with artists, arts practitioners, organisations and creative entrepreneurs to enrich the lives of communities through the country,” said Creative New Zealand chief executive Stephen Wainwright.
“The arts make our communities more inclusive and engaging as well supporting local economies and contributing to health and happiness. The example set by the finalists is this award category offer an inspiring example of what can be achieved.”
For more information contact:
Helen Isbister
Communications Manager
Creative New Zealand
Tel: 04 473 0187
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