The Rise of the Creative Economy

For Immediate Release
10 January 2006

The Rise of the Creative Economy
10th-21st February 2006
Civic Square
Wellington
11-4pm Daily
Free Entry

Twenty-three year old Wellington artist Michael Hawkins was so impressed with Wellington’s Arts community that he decided to celebrate its quality and variety in his latest Artwork, an installation on display in the Civic Square as part of the Fringe festival.

“This city is bursting with creative people and projects” says Hawkins, who explains his new work as a celebration of the work of all Creative Professionals and “an acknowledgement of the Growing economic importance of Creative industry, not just in Wellington but also Internationally.”

Entitled; The Rise of The Creative Economy, Hawkins work consists of a fully painted, rather large shipping container. On the outside, the container has been painted in Hawkins’s trademark Black on white style. On the inside, Hawkins has installed a number of painted boxes perhaps ready for storage or transportation. The boxes are again painted in his trademark style and a large painting adorns the back wall. Some of the imagery refers to painting, theatre and even to King Kong and Lord of the Rings, while other imagery is of an economic nature.

Hawkins became inspired to do the work after moving to Wellington and noticing; “how important creative industry was to the local economy.” “As a struggling Artist I found it incredibly reaffirming to meet so many people making a living by doing what they love” says Hawkins. “I remember then reading that core creative industry is around 3.5% of our Gross National economic output and is growing faster than any other industry at a rate of twice the Economic average, and then thinking that perhaps there is a real trend towards this kind of work starting to happen and being recognised as important.”

The Rise of the Creative Economy, opens in the Civic Square on Friday 10th February and runs until Monday 21st of February. It is open from 11am-4pm daily.

ENDS

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