Now in its tenth year, the Zonta Ashburton Women’s Art Awards focuses on the art of emerging and mid-career artists who identify as women living and working in Waitaha Canterbury. ZAWAA seeks to raise the status of visual artists who identify as women and to acknowledge the contributions women make to the greater art discourse. The award is aligned with the values of Zonta International, which exists to advance the status of women worldwide through service and advocacy.

With 84 entries this year, 23 finalists were selected from the 47 entries for the Premier Award, and 23 entries were featured in the Young Generation Award category, for those aged 16-20 years. Since this year’s exhibition opening on March 06, visitors have been voting for their favourite work from the selection of finalists to win our People’s Choice Award. We received 354 total votes this year, and our winner received 50 of these votes.

The winner of this year’s People’s Choice Award is Karen Boyce for her work Forest Vibes. Karen is local to Whakatere Ashburton. On accepting her award, Karen expressed that she is ‘absolutely thrilled to be chosen as the ZAWAA People's Choice Award winner, especially from such a varied and talented exhibition of other artists.’ She also stated that ‘it’s wonderful that my artwork has resonated with so many of the viewers, and the award is a great accolade for my artistic career moving forward.’

Karen extended her thanks to the ‘wonderful team at Rokowhiria, the AV studio at Te Kete Tuhinga Ashburton Library, and Zonta, for the wonderful creative opportunity that ZAWAA offers women artists.’ She will be awarded a prize of $100 for winning our People’s Choice Award.

The awards exhibition is delivered through a partnership between the Zonta Club of Ashburton and Rokowhiria Ashburton Art Gallery and Museum, and generously supported by the following local organisations:

Zonta Ashburton, CNZ Creative Communities Grant, Forsyth Barr, Bushey Park Trust, Tricroft Properties, ANZ Bank, Kate Murney, Everist Gilchrist Lawyers, Liquorland Racecourse Road, The Rabbit, Samantha Rose Flowers, Scorpio Books, and Barker's Foodstore & Eatery.

Exhibition Details:
ZAWAA26
Opening | 06 March | 7pm
Exhibition | 07 March – 19 April 2026
Rokowhiria Ashburton Art
Gallery and Museum Hours:
Open Daily 10am – 4pm

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