02 Jul 2025
Matariki is a time for remembering and reflecting before taking up the work of the new year.
At Creative New Zealand, we acknowledged the pou of the arts sector who passed away in the past 12 months; people whose deep commitment to arts, culture and their communities gave joy and paved the way for others. These are some of those we remember.
- Kiingi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII, great leader who brought unity and Kotahitanga for Aotearoa.
- Sir Robert Nairn "Bom" Gillies KNZM, Māori soldier who served with B Company, 28th (Māori) Battalion, during World War II.
- Ricky Mitai, proud descendant of Te Whakatōhea and a passionate advocate for the revitalisation and preservation of te reo Māori and tikanga.
- Te Rangikaiamokura Wirihana Hetet ONZM, Māori master carver, tohunga whakairo of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Maniapoto descent.
- Mark Braunias, award-winning New Zealand abstract artist who experimented with line and colour across different mediums throughout an almost forty-year career.
- Dame Iritana Tāwhiwhirangi DNZM MBE, leading, contributing, and supporting Māori development through kaupapa such as Te Kohanga Reo, Māori Womens Welfare League, Tu Tangata and many other kaupapa.
- Toni Huata, artist, performer, producer and director who supported ringatoi and ngā toi Māori throughout her career.
- Robyn Kahukiwa, Māreikura, wahine toa, and tohunga mahi toi Māori recognised for her leadership, excellence and outstanding contribution to the development of ngā Toi Māori.
- Tutina Pasene, vibrant, flamboyant textile artist and fashion designer generous in all her contributions to Māori and Pasifika arts through her arts practice.
- Fred Graham, master carver, sculptor, and educator who shaped the landscape of Aotearoa’s artistic identity and elevated the presence and prestige of Māori art nationally and internationally.
- Maurice Gee, respected author of novels for adults and children, short stories, and television scripts. His talent was recognised with many awards.
Matariki was also a time to reflect on what Creative New Zealand achieved in the past year, Stephen Wainwright’s final year in the role. Stephen’s steady leadership through times when uncertainty became the norm meant the work kept happening. As a Crown agency in receipt of public funding, our work is summarised in various accountability documents. But the more vivid story is happening every day, as artists explore ideas, create work, and engage with audiences.
Creative New Zealand provided investment and grant funding, built capability in the sector, and delivered fellowships, residencies, and awards. This included completing the first cycle of the For the arts programme for grants and taking the first steps towards changing our approach to multi-year investment in arts organisations. The first cohort of new and emerging arts sector leaders is engaged in the year-long programme to grow their skills and develop networks.
Comedians, dancers and theatre practitioners from Aotearoa were at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, at the Gathered Together Festival in Glasgow, and the Yirramboi Festival in Melbourne. Musicians working in te reo Māori took part in FOCUS Wales, where the emphasis is on language preservation.
Our international presenters fund helped artists find new audiences in Australia, Canada, Columbia, Germany, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates. A Pacific Arts partnership with Parris Goebbels’ Palace Dance saw 25 young dancers on tour in Europe. And we supported the World Dance Crew Championships in Tāmaki. Our Pacific reach extended to projects and residencies in Hawai’i and Niue, as well as rural photography in Aotearoa.
Our funding and fellowships went to artists and creatives working many mediums, from muka lace to wood turning, and we had a New Zealand presence at the world’s largest jewellery exhibition, Schmuck in Germany.
We supported toi Māori through Te Matatini and festivals focused on film, carving and other artforms. We continued to celebrate outstanding achievement with Te Waka Toi and Pacific Arts awards and the Prime Minister’s Award for Literary Achievement.
We’re celebrating 30 years of the Creative Communities Scheme, a nationwide scheme that enables people to engage in the arts in ways that reflect their local identities, cultures, and aspirations.
Throughout the year, we’ve worked to make our Tapatahi Accessibility Policy real, from applications through to the way we plan events.
Our advocacy work hit a higher gear with the launch of Creativity makes us—Auahatia! This campaign is designed to reignite the excitement of creativity in everybody and build support for the value of arts and creativity in all our lives. You can follow on Creativity makes us on Instagram
Artist Toby Morris helped simplify the picture of arts funding with the Arts Funding 101 explainer
This advocacy work is informed by arts leaders and practitioners who come together as Te Rōpū Mana Toi and comes on top of established projects including All in for Arts with the Arts Foundation, the Fact Finder for arts advocates, and working with local government to ensure the arts feature in long term plans.
Creative New Zealand is thinking long-term too, as we continue to deliver on our Pacific Arts Strategy 2023-2028, begin to consult on our Māori arts strategy to 2030, Toi Ora, and finalise Tū Mai Rā, Toi Aotearoa, our overarching strategy to 2040.
It’s exciting to see Tū Mai Rā, Toi Aotearoa come into its final shape, incorporating sector feedback from March and April. Toi Aotearoa Arts Council of New Zealand is expected to confirm the strategy at its August meeting. And then we’ll start achieving our moemoeā, vision of ‘the arts and ngā toi flourishing: created by an empowered arts community, sought after globally and enriching all our lives.’
Ka mahuta a Matariki i te pae, ka mahuta ō tātou tūmanako ki te tau
When Matariki rises above the horizon, our aspirations rise to the year ahead
Gretchen La Roche
Tumu Whakarae Chief Executive
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