Art Regional Trust (Art) Trustees Selected

NEWS RELEASE

6 April 2001

ART REGIONAL TRUST (ART) TRUSTEES SELECTED

The nine founding trustees of the Arts Regional Trust (ART) have been named by Manukau City and Auckland City councils.

They are:
Nigel Arkell
Hinemoa Elder
Walter Hirsch
Rosie Horton
Gerda McGechan
Sandi Morrison
Linda Schofield
Beverley Smaill
Isabella Rasch

ART is the independent body which will be responsible for managing and increasing the two councils’ combined share of Auckland Regional Services Trust (ARST) funds made available for arts and cultural purposes – currently around $6 million.

The councils last year advertised publicly and among the arts community for submissions from people willing to become trustees to manage the funds.

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Over 50 submissions were received and a comprehensive series of interviews followed. The selection panel comprised the mayor, deputy mayor and chief executive of both Manukau and Auckland city councils.

Auckland City mayor Chris Fletcher and Manukau City mayor Barry Curtis said they recognised the importance of getting the right mix of people and skills for the trust – highly motivated, experienced people with a passion for the arts.

“We are delighted that with these trustees, we have found this mix,” said Mrs Fletcher. “It wasn’t an easy task because all submissions received were of a very high standard. I am looking forward to seeing the trust formally constituted and the benefits beginning to roll in for the arts community, region-wide.”

The trustees will not be taking up their new management role until the trust board has been formally constituted, in about a month. The two councils will continue to handle enquiries until then.

The trust’s first objective will be to “grow” the fund, the mayors said. The two councils would like to see it reach $20 million so that it can be a substantial legacy for the arts in the region.

The trustees will be able to allocate only interest earned by the fund and not the capital. It is anticipated that there will be around $400,000 available within the year and it will be the new trust’s decision how this will be best used.

Manukau City mayor Sir Barry Curtis hails the formation of the trust as “a beacon for the promotion of arts and culture in the Auckland region.”
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“ART will become a powerful advocate, providing some certainty in funding for those regional organisations which have suffered gravely from the lack of funds in the past. This is an exciting time for arts and culture in our region, greatly enhancing the trust’s potential for other councils in the region.”

Mrs Fletcher agrees that it would be to everyone’s advantage if the two councils were joined by their counterparts in the Auckland region.

“A single fund was envisaged initially and I understand that there’s still that flexibility to involve the other councils and certainly it is an option that is increasingly attractive to us all.”

ENDS

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