New Plymouth tops creative category in local government EXCELLENCE Awards

Local Government New Zealand is delighted to announce New Plymouth City Council as the winner of a local government arts and culture EXCELLENCE Award for its work in establishing the Len Lye Centre.

The Council won the Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Best Creative Place at the LGNZ EXCELLENCE Awards in Dunedin last night. The awards, now in their third year, recognise and celebrate the outstanding leadership role local government plays within communities. More than 600 delegates from local and central government, and stakeholders, celebrated the outstanding leadership role local government plays within communities.

The Best Creative Place award recognises the contribution arts and culture initiatives can make towards creating a more prosperous town, city, district or region.

Judges praised the Len Lye Centre – which houses some of the collection and archive of the internationally renowned artist – “as an internationally significant place for the city which recognises one of New Zealand’s preeminent sons.”

Judges said the Centre was a wonderful partner for the Puke Ariki Museum, and acknowledged the commitment from the community in raising funds for it.

LGNZ President Lawrence Yule says the award recognises the Council’s execution of a brilliant and much anticipated plan.

“The Len Lye Centre is a jewel for New Plymouth and all of New Zealand,” he says.

Judges for the awards are former Wellington Mayor Kerry Prendergast, Chair of EQC Sir Maarten Wevers and The New Zealand Initiative’s Executive Director, Dr Oliver Hartwich.

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