Old art hand takes control

The biennial Garden and Artfest will take place from 5-11 November next year under the directorship of well-known local arts and event professional John Beech.

Kate Barry-Piceno, chairperson of the Garden and Artfest Trust, said it was great to have secured Mr Beech's services for the festival.

"We are delighted to announce John Beech's appointment as director. He has served as a trustee so is already steeped in the culture of the event and he has a proven track record in the arts sector demonstrating the organisational skills this position requires," she said.

Mr Beech was very involved in the artistic side of the last Garden and Artfest through his role with Creative Tauranga, in addition to his trustee role of the New Zealand Garden and Art Festival Trust, the charitable trust responsible for staging the event.

Mr Beech replaces joint directors Jo Bond and Arne Herrmann who stepped down after the last event in 2010, Ms Bond to concentrate of the Tauranga Arts Festival and Arne to focus on the 50th Jazz Festival coming up at Easter next year.

It will be hugely exciting to take leadership of the event next year, Mr Beech said.

"They are big shoes to fill, but Jo and Arne have passed on a huge legacy of information, systems and relationships. My job will be to ensure the event is fresh and exciting next year without reinventing the wheel.

"I will be working on including even more art and music and ensuring the festival is accessible and interesting to the greater community and our many visitors.

"The festival has obtained flagship status by the Tauranga City Council in recognition of its success and contribution to the local economy and I want to see this contribution to this community's tourism sector continue to grow," he said.

The arts community will be familiar with Mr Beech from his position with Creative Tauranga over the past three years. Prior to that he owned a private gallery in Tauranga, R.O.W. (Retrospective on Wharf). He also recently organised and helped select the art installations for the new TECT Arena.

The trust has already begun sourcing and selecting gardens for the 2012 November Festival ensuring the perennial favourites will be part of the eighth festival. It is anticipated some 60-70 gardens will feature.