15 Jul 2025
Creative New Zealand administers a few scholarships and residencies that give artists a hand up in their chosen field. Many of these funds are from bequests, a last act of generosity from someone with a passion for a particular art form.
We work with Public Trust to administer the Jack McGill Scholarship, which was established in 1985 with interest from a bequest by Jack Wynnegate McGill. Public Trust has designated this week ‘Wills Week’, a time to think about what impact your estate could have after your death. Mr McGill’s bequest is continuing to change lives.
In 2024, Zephyr Wills was awarded the Jack McGill Scholarship, intended to help advanced study or investigation of music overseas. Jack put the $8,000 he received towards the fees for an Artist Diploma at the Royal College of Music in London.
Zephyr is the son of blues musician Shayn Wills and grew up surrounded by music, performing from an early age. His father encouraged him to study viola, claiming it offered a more reliable career path than the blues!
Shayn might have been on to something; Zephyr has played in the Wigmore Hall, one of the world’s great concert halls. The studies Zephyr pursued with the scholarship opened up opportunities that he would not otherwise have access to.
Read more about Zephyr Wills in this story on Public Trust's website
Read about how our music scholarships create rich opportunities on our website
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