‘Arts . . . illuminate the world we live in’: 2023 fellows appointed

ALBERT Einstein once said ‘‘creativity is contagious — pass it on’’.

With that in mind, the University of Otago has appointed its latest round of arts fellows for 2023, which will allow creators to explore important cultural and social issues and build on their creative expression.

Division of Humanities provicechancellor Prof Jessica Palmer said next year’s Robert Burns Fellow would be Kathryn van Beek; the Mozart Fellow would be Sean Donnelly for a second term; the Caroline Plummer Fellow in Community Dance would be Daisy Sanders; the University of Otago College of Education Creative New Zealand Children’s Writer in Residence Fellow would be

Ruth Paul; and the Frances Hodgkins Fellow would be Emily HartleySkudder.

Prof Palmer said each was selected from a very competitive field of applicants.

‘‘The arts are an important tool to illuminate the world we live in.

‘‘These fellowships are a vital link between the university and the arts community.

‘‘I am thrilled we are able to support the exploration of important cultural and social issues and creative expression.’’

She said the fellows would receive a stipend for 612 months and space at Otago’s Dunedin campus to pursue their creative projects.

Past fellows have created dance performances featuring local community members, orchestral compositions, poetry, novels and children’s books during their tenure.

During her Robert Burns Fellowship, multidisciplinary writer Kathryn van Beek planned to work on a collection of short stories titled Delight.

Awardwinning song writer, contemporary composer and studio producer Sean Donnelly would use his second term as Mozart Fellow to complete a new album, working in the electroacoustic medium.

Daisy Sanders would spend her time as Caroline Plummer Fellow on A Resting Mess — a project which aimed to bridge the gap between dance and health, and focused on youth, mental wellbeing, and healing.

Children’s Writer in Residence Ruth Paul planned to work on three picture books — The Farmer’s Pyjamas, You Can’t Pat a Fish and Candy

Rapper and the Flash Trash Crew. She would also develop a partially illustrated novel, informed by conservation areas in the Deep South.

And Frances Hodgkins Fellow Emily HartleySkudder was looking forward to researching Dunedin’s architecture — especially domestic dwellings — by delving into the Hocken Collections.