MEDIA RELEASE: TITIRANGI, Auckland – Wednesday 20th July, 2016 – For the second year running, networking organisation BNI New Zealand is proud to be one of the major sponsors for the 2016 Titirangi Community Arts Council Emerging Artists Awards. These Awards have been running for eight years and were created for those who are still finding their ‘art feet’. They give two fortunate artists a massive opportunity to further their careers through cash grants.
Competition Entry – IJorgensen
Sammy Milne Co-Manager for TCAC/Upstairs Art Gallery says the awards were developed to celebrate and expose our hidden Auckland talent to the world. “These awards give emerging artists a wonderful platform to show their work to the wider community,” she says. “It inspires them to continue working as artists – often it’s a major early milestone in their careers.”
Suzi Stevens Co-Manager for TCAC/Upstairs Art Gallery agrees saying the awards help artists by guiding them through a number of processes they will need to understand as they emerge: applications for awards, competitions, funding, exhibiting, advertising, building databases of buyers and galleries etc. “Having BNI’s support and the support from businesses in the community is unbelievable,” she says. “We’re a community gallery here for the community, much like BNI.”
Graham Southwell, National Director BNI New Zealand, says BNI’s philosophy of “Giver’s Gain” fits perfectly with the sponsorship of the $500 Emerging Arts Grant. “TCAC is reliant on the business community to support it and the gallery in turn supports and strengthens the businesses in its local community,” he says. “By giving back in this way BNI is supporting artists from across Auckland and enabling the enrichment of the local community through the arts.”
Competition Entry – Anna Rees
20 finalists are selected from photograph submissions. From those 20 finalists, two award recipients are chosen, one is given a cash grant of $1000 provided by board member David Whitley, plus an engraved (returnable) plaque, the other is given a $500 grant sponsored by BNI NZ.
This year’s judges are Naomi McCleary, an arts advocate for West Auckland who was Waitakere City Council’s first Arts Manager and the first recipient of an Outstanding Individual Contribution Award from Creative New Zealand for her services to the arts within local government. Other judges include Dianne Blomfield, the Executive Director of McCahon House and Bepan Bhana, the 2015/2016 McCahon House resident artist
In 2015 the $500 BNI NZ Arts Grant was presented to emerging artist Rebecca Annan.
Rebecca Annan – Four of Heads
To enter and other dates
Registrations close on Friday, 22nd July and all media are accepted.
Awards and prizes are presented at an evening Presentation and Opening Ceremony on Friday August 5th 6 – 7:30 pm (where everyone is welcome).
The exhibition of the 20 finalists’ works is open to the public for 24 days, daily 10am – 4pm. For more information visit the Upstairs Art Gallery Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UpstairsArt?fref=ts
SUMMARY
- For the second year running, BNI New Zealand is one of the major sponsors for the 2016 Titirangi Community Arts Council Emerging Artists Awards.
- The awards are cash grants to help artists further their careers.
- BNI’s philosophy of Givers Gain fits perfectly with their desire to sponsor the $500 Emerging Arts Grant.
- Registrations close on Friday, 22nd July and all media are accepted.
- Awards and prizes are presented at an evening Presentation and Opening Ceremony on Friday August 5th 6 – 7:30 pm (where everyone is welcome).
- The exhibition of the 20 finalists’ works is open to the public for 24 days, daily 10am – 4pm.
About BNI
BNI New Zealand, established in 1999, is the country’s largest structured business networking organisation for small to medium businesses. With over 2600 members and 120 groups around the country in 2015 they generated near $60 million in business.
As a business community, BNI helps create business opportunities through a structured system of referrals and reciprocity, based on trust and giving. Business owners from all types of industries (only one trade representative per group) meet weekly. They build sustainable relationships with other businesses, develop new networks and take BNI’s underlying philosophy of ‘Givers Gain’ to grow their businesses. www.bni.co.nz
About Titirangi Community Arts Council (TCAC)
With a mission to enable community access to the arts, the TCAC governs a boutique style not-for-profit community art gallery based in Titirangi’s historic Lopdell House. The TCAC/Upstairs Art Gallery presents a minimum of 12 exhibitions annually covering all mediums, all artistic skills, all ages, reaching all community groups and ensuring that it’s always worth a visit up the stairs.
Media contacts
Graham Southwell, National Director, BNI New Zealand, +64 9 817 1185, graham@bni.co.nz
Sammy Milne, Co-Manager for TCAC/Upstairs Art Gallery, 027 916 2054, gallery@upstairs.org.nz
Nimita Morarji, Serum, 021 950 058, Nimita@serum.co.nz
