Joshua Brake, Terry Fergusson and Kaeleb Kereopa-Ngatai. Photo / Felix Desmarais
Joshua Brake, Terry Fergusson and Kaeleb Kereopa-Ngatai. Photo / Felix Desmarais
Two local emerging artists have received inaugural gifts from The Bushman's Son Fund managed by the Geyser Community Foundation.
The foundation's executive officer, Annette Burgess said well-known local artist, Terry Fergusson established his endowment fund in 2017 to support emerging artists and writers within the Rotorua district.
Joshua Brake, Geyser Foundation's Annette Burgess and Kaeleb Kereopa-Ngatai. Photo / Felix Desmarais
"We were proud to have beenchosen by Terry to manage his fund, which is wideranging. Applicants can study, engage with or participate in visual or written arts, such as drawing, painting, photography, sculpture, graphics, architecture, writing and poetry."
This year Fergusson chose two local artists, Joshua Brake and Kaeleb Kereopa-Ngatai to receive the inaugural awards, each of which has a value of $1000.
Passionate about the arts, Fergusson said he knew only too well how hard it could be to get an arts project off the ground.
"There's not a lot of support out there for amateur artists, and it can be very difficult to find extra money to pay for things like materials, promotion and advertising", he said.
"As the son of a 'bushman' and his wife, I set up this fund in my parents' name which keeps it flourishing and very close to my heart. Their image adorns all the media surrounding it which is powerful and humbling all at the same time.
"It's fantastic to see the fund grow, especially now it is being used to help out local artists."
