Rotorua Museum Art Awards 2017

Rotorua Museum, in association with the Friends of Rotorua Museum, is thrilled to confirm that the Rotorua Museum Art Awards will return again this year.

‘With the Museum still closed for earthquake assessment, we have been working hard to secure a venue for this year’s awards, and we’re delighted to announce that the exhibition of finalists will be held at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre, opening in early September,’ said Museum Director, Stewart Brown.
‘We are still working through the details of the awards, but wanted to ensure artists had as much time to prepare their entries as possible,’ said Brown.

Entries close on 11 August 2017 and entry details, along with the entry form, will be available on Rotorua Museum’s website by the end of this month. Artists will need to complete their works by Sunday 27 August.

Artists must be resident in the Bay of Plenty at the entry close date.

The work must:

• Be a one-off original and not part of an edition
• Not infringe upon NZ copyright laws
• Be the sole work of the artist entering (unless it is listed as a collaboration)
• Have been created within the 24 months prior to and including the entry close date
• Never have been exhibited previously
• Be available for photographing and promotion, including online
• Be available for sale
• Not exceed 30kg in weight or 1000mm in any dimension (including frame)
• Entries are limited to a maximum of two works per artist.

The biennial awards were reinstated in 2013 after a 10 year absence, and aim to inspire local artists and highlight the wealth of talent in the Bay of Plenty region.
In 2015 the finals night was attended by more than 400 people and more than 10,000 votes were submitted in gallery and online for the More FM People’s Choice Award.

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to showcase the region’s incredible artistic talent, and for artists to profile their work” says exhibition curator, Ane Tonga.

All sponsors from the 2015 awards have once again confirmed their support for 2017.
‘We are incredibly grateful for the backing of our sponsors: Rotorua Energy Charitable Trust, Toi Ohomai and More FM. Without their funding and promotional assistance, these awards would simply not be able to take place,’ said Brown.

This year there is $13,000 in prizes up for grabs: the Rotorua Museum Supreme Award prize of $10,000; the Friends of Rotorua Museum Emerging Artist Award prize of $1,000; the Toi Ohomai Innovation in Art Award prize of $1,000; and two MORE FM People’s Choice Awards of $500 each.

The first three awards will be announced at a gala awards evening on 8 September 2017.
The MORE FM People’s Choice Awards will run for the length of the exhibition allowing visitors to vote for their favourites in the gallery and online.

An exhibition of approximately 30 finalist entries will be open to the public at the Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre from Saturday 9 September until Friday 6 October 2017. A Salon de Refusé, for works not selected for the finals exhibition, will open at the Rotorua District Library on Haupapa Street from 14 September to 8 October 2017.

Rotorua Museum Director Stewart Brown says the Art Awards are a great way to engage with the local arts community.
“We had overwhelmingly positive feedback from all involved last time and can’t wait to see what our talented region produces this year” says Brown.

More information about the awards and how to enter will be available at www.rotoruamuseum.co.nz. Entries close 5pm, Friday 11 August 2017.