Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga and Gwen Malden Charitable Trust launch contemporary art commissions

Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga - Hastings Art Gallery is thrilled to partner with the Gwen Malden Charitable Trust to create a new biennial programme of contemporary art commissions worth $40,000. Photo / Warren Buckland

A new biennial programme of significant contemporary art commissions has just launched, thanks to a partnership between Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga Hastings Art Gallery and the Gwen Malden Charitable Trust.

This new opportunity, which is seeking expressions of interest, will see four artists each receive $10,000, alongside additional support from the gallery, to develop a new body of work, which will be exhibited at Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga in July next year.

Hastings Art Gallery curator and manager Sophie Davis says the gallery wants to hear from artists living and working in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawke’s Bay.

“This initiative builds on the successes of our previous biennial exhibition, EAST, and our new partnership with the Gwen Malden Trust. We’re thrilled to be able to invest in the future of contemporary art in Te Matau-a-Māui in this way - offering tangible career support for artists and celebrating creative practice,” she says.

“The intention is that these new commissioned works will create an engaging art experience for our community, highlight the important role that local artists play and platform them nationally.”

For Gwen Malden Charitable Trust chairperson, Tessa Tylee, the opportunity to support local artists to create new work was not one to be missed.

“The Gwen Malden Charitable Trust is very excited about this partnership and what it may lead to,” Tylee says.

“Gwen Malden herself was an artist and active supporter of the Hawke’s Bay arts. We believe Gwen would be pleased with this new project and all that it means for Hawke’s Bay artists and the community, as a whole.”

The four recipients of the Gwen Malden Te Matau-a-Māui Contemporary Art Commissions will be selected by a panel of contemporary art advocates balancing local knowledge with outside perspectives. It will include Serena Bentley (senior curator Tauranga Art Gallery), Sophie Davis (Hastings Art Gallery), Ayesha Green (artist), Aaron Lister (senior curator City Gallery Wellington) and Sacha van den Berg (gallerist and founder of Hastings’ Ākina gallery).

Expressions of interest are now open to both emerging and established contemporary artists who live and work in Te Matau-a-Māui Hawkes Bay, with a due date of 5pm on November 13.

Applicants should have been practicing as an artist for more than two years and have had at least three public exhibitions. They should also be committed to exhibiting in a public and non-commercial environment and engaging with audiences.

Artists will retain full ownership of their commissioned work.

For more information about the Gwen Malden Te Matau-a-Māui Contemporary Art Commissions and the requirements for expressions of interest, please go to www.hastingscityartgallery.co.nz/artist-opportunities

* Te Whare Toi o Heretaunga Hastings Art Gallery is located in the heart of Civic Square in Heretaunga Hastings. The Gallery is part of Te Kaunihera-ā-rohe o Heretaunga - Hastings District Council.

Gwen Malden studied painting at the Christchurch School of Art and was a visionary supporter of the arts. The Gwen Malden Charitable Trust continues to support visual arts, craft, music and drama, historic buildings, education including school facilities, equipment and outdoor education, welfare, health, senior citizens, children and family.