03 Jun 2022
The Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa has commissioned a review of Creative New Zealand’s participation in the Venice Biennale before committing to a presence at the 2024 Biennale and beyond.
The last external review of New Zealand’s participation in the Biennale was conducted in 2006. A lot has changed since then; COVID-19 has impacted delivery models, how others engage, and the capacity and ambition of the arts sector have shifted. There’s also a significant level of investment required to successfully deliver the project.
Given these factors, it’s timely to consider New Zealand’s ongoing participation. Through the review, Creative New Zealand will consider:
- if its participation in the Biennale aligns with the organisation’s strategic values
- the value of the opportunity to the Government, Creative New Zealand and the arts sector
- value for money of New Zealand’s participation
- resourcing and the delivery model.
“It’s important that we periodically evaluate the value of our investments. We acknowledge that the review may create some uncertainty for the sector,” says Stephen Wainwright, Creative New Zealand Chief Executive.
The review will take place from July to December 2022 and The Arts Council is expected to decide on future participation at its December meeting.