APEC Gifts - Background Official Gifts For Leaders:

21 artists have been selected to provide official gifts to the 21 APEC Leaders

Anneke Borren Wellington
Christina Boswijk Nelson
Emma Camden Auckland
Len Castle Auckland
Paerau Corneal Hamilton
John Ecuyer Whangarei
Steve Fullmer Nelson
Lyonel Grant Rotorua
Elisabeth McClure Auckland/Whangarei
Garry Nash Auckland
Manos Nathan Dargaville
John Parker Auckland
Peter Penhall Wellington
Mark Piercey Christchurch
Rick Rudd Wanganui
Emily Siddell Auckland
Robyn Stewart Auckland
Inia Te Wiata Morrinsville
Roi Toia Rotorua
Peter Viesnik Auckland
Merilyn Wiseman Auckland/Redvale

Artists were shortlisted by the Prime Minister's Advisory Group for Art and Culture, chaired by well known art patron and collector Jenny Gibbs.

Each object designed by the artists will be perceived as a "precious vessel" carrying and symbolically representing precious objects and knowledge about New Zealand and its place in the Pacific.

Artists were asked to make a gift within the physical dimensions of 30 x 30 x 30cm. It is to be free standing and without a lid, and made of stone, wood, metal, clay or glass.

A limit was set at NZ$500 per gift.

Each "vessel" will be boxed by APEC for presentation to the Leaders and will carry two kete with taonga inside. One kete will contain a tiny piece of pounamu gifted by Ngai Tahu. The second kete will contain three Tanemahuta seeds gifted by Te Iwi o Te Roroa.

There will also be a card with the name of the artist and information about the vessel.

MEMBERSHIP OF THE PRIME MINISTER'S ADVISORY GROUP FOR ART AND CULTURE:

Jenny Gibbs (Chair) - Chair of the Patrons of the Auckland Art Gallery, Member of the Board of the Museum of New Zealand and a Member of the International Council of the Museum of Modern Art, New York.

Sandy Adsett - Principal Tutor of Toihoukura Visual Arts Maori, Tairawhiti Polytechnic Gisborne, Chairperson of Te Atinga, Contemporary Visual Arts Maori Committee Toi Maori Aotearoa/Maori Arts New Zealand.

Erenora Puketapu Hetet - Past member of the Queen Elizabeth Arts Council of New Zealand, former Maori Protocol Officer/Advisor for the National Museum and a Maori weaver of traditional and contemporary techniques and materials.

Anne Rush - An artist, the Project Manager of the recent New Zealand Symposium on Cultural Tourism and a founding member of the Nelson Bays Arts Marketing Network.

Brian Stevenson - Chair of the Arts Council at Creative New Zealand, past President of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and a co-founder of financial planning firm Spicers Financial Services Ltd.

APEC LEADERS' SPOUSES - OFFICIAL GIFTS

The Prime Minister's Advisory Group for Art and Culture recommended to the Prime Minister that Leaders' Spouses should receive a unique individual brooch made by contemporary New Zealand jewellers.

Five New Zealand jewellery designers have been selected to make brooches for the spouses of the 21 Leaders. Brooches will be made of silver, paua shell and or mother of pearl and through its character will represent New Zealand and its place in the Pacific.

Designers selected to provide brooches for Leaders' Spouses:

Ruth Baird Waitakere Ranges, Auckland
Jane Dodd Kingsland, Auckland
Niki Hastings-McFall West Auckland
Alan Preston Muriwai, Auckland
Ann Visser Christchurch
Areta Wilkinson Auckland

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