Celebrate artists with a disability
‘‘Making nominations is a great way people can get involved in celebrating New Zealand’s leaders of access to the arts – often the unsung heroes of society who make a real difference.’’ Executive director of Access Arts Aotearoa Richard Benge
Nominations have opened for the Arts Access Awards which celebrate artists with a disability as well as those making contributions to the to the success of disabled artists.
The awards acknowledge New Zealand artists or writers with a physical, sensory, or intellectual impairment, or those who have experienced mental illness. Previous Taranaki winners include Govett Brewster in 2011 and Womad in 2012 who were awarded with the Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts For All award.
These two art heavyweights are eligible for nomination for this award again, if they have introduced a series of new initiatives not recognised in its previous award, as three years have passed since their wins.
‘‘Making nominations is a great way people can get involved in celebrating New Zealand’s leaders of access to the arts – often the unsung heroes of society who make a real difference,’’ Executive director of Access Arts Aotearoa Richard Benge said in a statement.
Benge also said in the statement the awards highlighted leaders using art as a tool to support prisoners in the rehabilitative process.
Areas awarded include artistic achievement, creative space, community partnership, and corrections including people providing and encouraging a pathway into rehabilitation and those working with the Department of Corrections in a prison or community setting using arts as a part of a tikanga programme to encourage a strong cultural identity.
‘‘Making nominations is a great way people can get involved in celebrating New Zealand’s leaders of access to the arts – often the unsung heroes of society who make a real difference,’’ Benge said in the statement.
‘‘Industry judging panels select the award recipients but ensuring you nominate your leaders is a vital part of the process.
‘‘Without a nomination, they cannot be considered.’’
An example of this is the winner of the Arts Access Artistic Achievement Award 2017, Rodney Bell, who was awarded for his contribution to dance.
Bell was paralysed from the chest down in a motorbike accident in 1991, but has since played in the New Zealand wheelchair basketball team and fulfilled a contract with a US dance company.
Stephen Wainwright chief executive of Creative New Zealand encouraged people to make nominations so more people like Bell could be recognised.
‘‘We know how much the arts mean to New Zealanders so we’re delighted to support this award.
‘‘It recognises the important work arts organisations do when they go the extra mile to increase access to the arts and build new audiences,’’ Wainwright said in a statement.
Nominations close at 5pm Monday 16 April 2018.