Artist Applications & Ticket Sales open for New Zealand’s largest art sale

Preparations for the NZ Art Show 2015 are well underway and artist applications and tickets sales open on November 1, 2014. The show, which has become the country’s largest art sale, offers quality original New Zealand art at affordable prices and artists are encouraged to apply early to gain selection to the 2015 show.

The 2015 show will take place in Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena on June 19 – 21 with a Gala opening on June 18. Artist applications, ticket sales and information about the show will be on the show’s website: www.artshow.co.nz

The 2014 show was the most successful yet: over 11,000 people attended the three day event at which 1,700 artworks were sold realising just over $1 million. Now in its twelfth year, the show has established itself as New Zealand’s most significant platform for artists wanting to showcase and sell their art.

Carla Russell, the show’s Executive Director, attributes the success to the quality and diversity of the art. “Every year the quality gets better. Since the show started in 2004 the quality has grown in leaps and bounds.  Artists are pushing themselves and their materials in order to engage with their audiences on new levels.

“Many of our artists have been exhibiting with the show since it started in 2004 and it’s been exciting watching them develop: it’s like watching a child grow before your very eyes and over the years many of our exhibitors have gone on to become well-known established artists.”

Carla Russell also cites outstanding professionalism and a commitment to artists as key factors in ensuring the NZ Art Show’s success. “The NZ Art Show is the first and largest of its kind: we’ve been running the show for 11 years and we’re committed to delivering fresh inspiration and challenges for our clientele. We work extraordinarily hard to produce an excellent show and have managed to keep the commission charged on sales to only 20%, making the show an attractive outlet for our exhibiting artists.”

Since the show started in 2004, around $8 million has been returned to the artists, a significant contribution to New Zealand’s dynamic arts community.

Art-lovers are encouraged to purchase tickets early: the ever-popular Gala Evening always sells out well in advance of the show.

What:               Artist applications and tickets sales for the NZ Art Show 2015 open.

When:             November 1, 2014

The NZ Art Show dates:

Gala Opening:   Thursday June 18, 6.30pm

Show Days:        Friday June 19 – Sunday June 21. Doors open 10am.

Where:                         TSB Bank Arena, Queens Wharf, Wellington

ENDS

About the NZ Art Show

The NZ Art Show makes it easy & affordable for any New Zealander to own a piece of original NZ art.

The NZ Art Show promotes a wide range of art covering all mediums with the aim of enabling all New Zealanders to own original art. At the same time, it has helped provide the means for emerging artists to become established and helped create a dynamic arts community for the public to discover new artists and start or add to their art collection.

At the core of the NZ Art Show operations is a three-day art event held each year in Wellington.

The annual NZ Art Show art is the largest curated art sale of its kind and each year exhibits around 3,000 original artworks by some 300 artists: the emphasis is on quality NZ art at affordable prices by emerging and established artists in a dynamic and stimulating environment. Over 11,000 visitors attended the 2014 Show, which was held from 25-27 July in the TSB Bank Arena on the Wellington waterfront.

The annual event is complemented by an online art gallery located on the NZ Art Show website, artshow.co.nz, and features a range of styles, mediums and prices. Artworks can be purchased directly from the artists. The online gallery extends the reach of NZ art to a wider audience and provides a further outlet for artists.

Consistent with the aim of promoting a vibrant art community and helping NZ artists establish themselves, the NZ Art Show currently provides two arts awards:

NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards

• Four cash prizes of $2,500 each. The NZ Art Show Emerging Artist Awards are open to students studying visual art at degree and/or diploma level at a recognised tertiary art school in New Zealand.
• Schools are invited to nominate their most promising students.
• The winners will have their artworks exhibited at the NZ Art Show event in 2015

Signature Piece Art Award

• A cash prize of $3,000 awarded to an outstanding artwork chosen by the public.
• 10 finalists, chosen by the Show’s selection panel, are exhibited in the show’s Signature Piece Gallery at the NZ Art Show 2015 with the winner decided by public vote: all visitors to the Show can vote for their favourite.

The NZ Art Show’s vision is to encourage New Zealanders to celebrate NZ culture and identity through NZ art and to promote NZ artists by providing opportunities to further their development. As a not-for-profit charitable organisation the NZ Art Show is a significant contributor to the NZ community with many people benefiting from its operations and activities: since its inception in 2004 some 96,000 people have enjoyed the art event, nearly $8 million has returned to artists via art sales and around $70,000 in art prizes awarded to artists.

The NZ Art Show receives no government funding. All the costs of running the Show, the online gallery and funding the Awards are covered by sponsorship, grants, art sales, admission and donations.

12:45PM Wednesday, 29 October, 2014