17 Dec 2019

This content is tagged as Pacific arts .

NEWS

Creative New Zealand partnership to support first Pacific Curator Residency in Australia

The first ever Pacific Curator Residency is set to take place in Brisbane in partnership with the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) and Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust.

The opportunity is funded under the Creative New Zealand Pacific Arts Strategy 2018 – 2023 and the successful applicant will work with the team at QAGOMA in Brisbane part-time over two years to propose and develop a Pacific artist project for ‘The 10th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art’ (APT10) in 2021.

The residency is open to Aotearoa-based Pasifika curators who must be either a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

The main aims of the residency are to:

  • develop the capability of Pacific arts practitioners by increasing their global knowledge and incorporating sharing of skills into their professional development
  • encourage the cultural exchange between New Zealand Pasifika artists and the Australia arts sector
  • build relationships between New Zealand and Australian arts organisations with a view to stimulating collaboration.

Creative New Zealand Chief Executive Stephen Wainwright says, “We’re excited about this new partnership between Aotearoa and Australia. Part of the vision that underpins our Pacific Arts Strategy is that Pacific arts are led by passionate and skilled Pasifika people. Opportunities like this residency, at one of the most respected and innovative art galleries in Australia, are a chance to develop and upskill Pasifika curators, adding to their global skills and experience.”

This opportunity builds on Creative New Zealand’s support and funding of the Asia Pacific Triennial at QAGOMA, in which Oceania artists from Aotearoa have regularly participated. 

Director of Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust Courtney Sina Meredith says, “This historic partnership between Tautai Contemporary Pacific Arts Trust, Creative New Zealand and QAGOMA is a significant opportunity to develop and strengthen Oceanic curatorial practice within a global context. It is also an honouring of many key artists and thinkers within the Pacific arts aiga (family) that have worked tirelessly and passionately – in the name of community.”

QAGOMA Director Chris Saines said the Gallery looked forward to supporting a Pasifika curator in their residency at QAGOMA and to their contribution to APT10.

“APT10 will be presented at QAGOMA from 27 November 2021 to 25 April 2022,” said Mr Saines.

“The Pacific Curator Residency Opportunity is an exciting space in which QAGOMA will work with Creative New Zealand and Tautai Pacific Arts Trust on a new initiative that deepens our existing relationships and fosters new creative partnerships across the Pacific.”

Applications for the Pacific Curator Residency opportunity open 18 December 2019 and close 14 January 2020.

For more information on how to apply visit http://www.tautai.org/pacific-curator-opportunity/