New Arts Council appointments   1 Jul 2016

New Zealand Government

Hon Maggie Barry

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage
1 July 2016

New Arts Council appointments

Four new appointments and two reappointments to the Arts Council have been announced by Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry.

“Philanthropist Dame Jenny Gibbs, experienced arts sector leader Roger King and highly regarded Maori arts leaders Karl Johnstone and Professor Taiarahia Black are the new appointments to the council,” Ms Barry says.

“All four have specific skills sets which will add to the depth and breadth of experience on the Arts Council, and provide the cultural leadership we need from our national arts development agency.”

Current members Wayne Marriott and Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban have been reappointed.

“In addition, current council member Michael Moynihan will step into the role of Deputy Chair until November 2017. He brings extensive experience in the literary sector and strong governance and commercial credentials to the role.”

Ms Barry thanked outgoing board members Darrin Haimona, Felicity Price, Karyn Fenton-Ellis and Peter-Lucas Kaaka Jones for their contribution.

“I particularly wish to acknowledge the decade-long service of Mr Haimona as chair of the Te Waka Toi Maori Arts Board and as a member of the Arts Council.”

Media contact: Alex Fensome 027 2772 313

Biographies

Dame Jenny Gibbs

Dame Jenny is an arts patron and collector who has served as founder and chair of the Patrons of Auckland City Art Gallery and Auckland Contemporary Art Trust, as an inaugural board member of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, and as Commissioner of the Venice Biennale in 2001 and 2003.

Roger King

Roger King is from the Hawkes Bay and has more than two decades of experience in the arts. This includes being WOMAD Festival Programme Director, Artistic Director of the Taranaki Festival of the Arts, Chair of Chamber Music New Zealand and Creative Hawkes Bay.

Karl Johnstone

Of Rongowhakaata, Te Aitanga-a-Mahaki, and Ngai Tamanuhiri descent, Karl Johnstone has been Director of Te Puia, the New Zealand Maori Arts and Crafts Institute in Rotorua. Previously head of Maori and Indigenous Development at the Waiariki Institute of Development, he has also spent several years managing creative and strategy teams at Te Papa Tongarewa, where he was responsible for the development of more than 20 major exhibitions.

Professor Taiarahia Black

Professor Taiarahia Black, of Ngai Tuhoe, Ngati Tuwharetoa and Te Whanau a Apanui descent, is a senior staff member at Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi in Whakatane. A Foundation Fellow (external) of Massey University, Palmerston North, Professor Black is an internationally known expert in Maori language revitalisation and reclamation.

Wayne Marriott

Current Arts Council member Wayne Marriott is also on the Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga board and the Maori Heritage Council. He is experienced in fundraising and relationship development in bicultural and multicultural arts and heritage environments.

Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban

Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban become the first Pacific Island woman MP in New Zealand when she entered Parliament in 1999 as a list MP. Subsequently in 2002 she became the member for Mana. Ms Laban was Minister for Pacific Island Affairs from 2007-2008. She became the Assistant Vice Chancellor Pasifika of Victoria University and was appointed to the Arts Council in 2014.

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