CUBE winners all about innovation and creation

CUBE winners all about innovation and creation

A vision for Auckland’s artistic innovation became reality tonight, with four businesses given the opportunity to alter the regional environment in true creative style.

The CUBE is an initiative driven by the Arts Regional Trust. Arts Regional Trust spokesperson Dr Hinemoa Elder says it’s all part of the Auckland region’s commitment to help the city’s creative sector thrive, with the four groups each winning $50,000 in financing plus additional expert mentoring.

The two winners in the Commercial category will also enter Auckland University’s prestigious Icehouse and receive mentoring services equivalent to $50,000 each.

The four winners of the CUBE’s ideas competition promise to visually stimulate applied artists and their audiences, give dynamic designers the chance to develop a captivating new product, up the tempo of New Zealand music and boost creative entrepreneurship across the region.

Dr Hinemoa Elder says the two winners in the Commercial category draw on two different art forms – design and music.

Visual artist Chiara Corbelletto and furniture designer Katy Wallace’s 3D:m2 is set to put contemporary art-based design in front of every Aucklander. The system of wall-covering designs by the Auckland-based team will be seen throughout the region, from residential to commercial to civic buildings.

With New Zealand music basking in the glow of global success, Native Tongue Music Publishing couldn’t have been created at a better time. The brainchild of Auckland-based music industry professionals Hannah Cornwell, Chris Gough and Nicky Donoghue, the initiative will drive local music publishing knowledge and represent New Zealand songwriters.

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Not-for-profit ventures are also benefiting from the CUBE’s commitment to creative concepts, with the two other winners in this category.

Objectspace, chaired by Auckland jeweller Warwick Freeman, will be a base from which to advance innovation in Auckland’s art and craft sector – the pre-eminent venue for both historically-important designs and the edgiest objects in Auckland.

A forum for arts, business, education and investment communities will be taking form in Auckland through the IQ (Innovation Quarter), the fourth winner. IQ will be a multi-functional project for people interested in incubating and, where appropriate, commercialising ideas from Auckland’s creative sector.

Prime Minister Helen Clark presented the awards for New Zealand’s first-ever creative sector ideas programme, which is modelled on successful local and international business development ideas.

Dr Hinemoa Elder says the winning ideas will enrich Auckland’s thriving arts and cultural scene.

“The flood of high-calibre ideas that came in for the CUBE showed what a wealth of talent there is out there. The 16 final initiatives, especially, have the real potential to go somewhere.

“The four the CUBE chose are not only viable, they’re ground-breaking and deliver services the arts, and Auckland, will really benefit from.”

The CUBE is the first joint initiative of a group of investors spearheaded by the Arts Regional Trust (ART). Other investors include Creative New Zealand through the Regional Strengths Strategy, the Community Employment Group and the Auckland, Waitakere, Manukau and North Shore City Councils. Auckland City is host agency. Commercialisation experience and mentoring will be supplied by Lion Rock Ventures Limited and The ICEHOUSE (a business accelerator founded by the University of Auckland Business School in partnership with eight leading NZ companies).

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