Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards 2019 call for nominations

Do you want to see an outstanding disabled artist recognised? How about an inclusive project celebrating community arts or a leader providing access to the arts for people in New Zealand? Nominations to this year’s Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards, presented annually by Arts Access Aotearoa, close on Monday 8 April 2019.

Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards celebrate the contribution of individuals, groups and organisations in providing access to the arts. They also acknowledge the achievements and contribution of a New Zealand-based artist or writer with a physical, sensory or intellectual impairment, or lived experience of mental ill-health.

Richard Benge, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, says Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards play an important role in profiling excellence and leadership in the arts and disability sectors. They also highlight leaders in the use of the arts as a tool supporting the rehabilitative process of prisoners and their reintegration back into society on release.

“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,” Richard says.

“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.”

This year, Arts Access Aotearoa has introduced a new category, the Arts Access Community Arts Award, to highlight the role of arts in the communities. This replaces the Arts Access Community Partnership Award.

The six award categories are:

• Arts Access Community Arts Award, recognising the outstanding results of a recent collaborative, inclusive arts project. It will have demonstrated a high standard of artistic outcomes and followed best practice in community participation. It will also have directly involved a community or communities that experience barriers to participation in the arts

• Arts Access Artistic Achievement Award, recognising the outstanding achievements and contribution of a New Zealand-based artist, who has a physical, sensory or intellectual impairment, or lived experience of mental ill-health

• Arts Access Holdsworth Creative Space Award, recognising the outstanding contribution and impact of a creative space that provides opportunities for people with limited access to make art, across any or all artforms

• Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award, recognising a professional performing arts company, festival, literary organisation, venue, producer or gallery that best demonstrates its commitment to building new audiences by becoming more accessible to disabled and Deaf people

• Arts Access Corrections Māui Tikitiki a Taranga Award, recognising an individual who demonstrates the qualities of Māui (innovation, creativity and leadership) and provides arts programmes in a New Zealand prison that reflect cultural inclusion and diversity. These programmes support and encourage pathways into rehabilitation and reintegration.

• Arts Access Corrections Whai Tikanga Award, recognising the outstanding contribution of a community group, organisation, Māori focus unit or individual working with the Department of Corrections in a prison or community setting, and using the arts and creativity as an integral part of a tikanga programme to encourage a strong cultural identity and support pro-social living.

Arts Access Aotearoa is the key national organisation working to increase access to the arts for everyone in New Zealand, whatever their circumstances. Its key stakeholders are people with physical, sensory or intellectual impairments; individuals and organisations in the community and professional arts sectors; and people with lived experience of mental ill-health.

It is also the key organisation in New Zealand facilitating the arts as a tool to support the rehabilitative process of prisoners and their reintegration back into the community on release.

Each of the six awards has a nomination form. You are able to nominate yourself or others. For more information and nomination forms, visit the Arts Access Aotearoa website or contact Claire Noble at Arts Access Aotearoa (T: 04 802 4349 E: claire.noble@artsaccess.org.nz).

For the two Arts Access Corrections Awards, contact Chris Ulutupu, Arts in Corrections Advisor, Arts Access Aotearoa (T: 04 802 4349 E: chris.ulutupu@artsaccess.org.nz) for more information or nomination forms.

Nominations close at 5pm on Monday 8 April 2019.

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