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Thousands of visitors have taken the chance to experience the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park in Wellington since it opened in April this year, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“In April the park attracted 16,116 visitors with a further estimated 50,000 at the Anzac Day Dawn Service, and numbers have remained high,” Ms Barry says.

Conservation and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has congratulated the young winners of the 9th annual The Outlook for Someday film challenge.

“The Outlook for Someday is all about sustainability, celebrating New Zealand’s natural world and exploring the social and environmental challenges which confront us as a nation,” Ms Barry says.

Governance of the Waitangi Treaty Grounds will be strengthened after the Waitangi National Trust Board Amendment Bill passed its third and final reading today, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“These changes are about the Government working constructively with the Board to protect Waitangi for current and future generations,” Ms Barry says.

“They amend and modernise the Waitangi National Trust Board Act 1932, which vests the Waitangi Treaty Grounds and wider estate in the Board, to be held for the nation.”

Tāmaki College principal Soana Pamaka has been appointed to the Board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has announced.

“Mrs Pamaka has an extensive track record of achievement as an educator, an understanding of younger people and a wide-ranging cultural knowledge. She will bring a fresh perspective to the important work of the Te Papa Board,” Ms Barry says.

A new agreement will encourage collaboration between the New Zealand and Polish screen industries, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The Poland-New Zealand Film Co-Production Agreement was signed yesterday by Ambassador to Poland Wendy Hinton and the Polish Culture and National Heritage Minister, Malgorzata Omilanowska,” Ms Barry says.

A new interactive guide to New Zealand’s First World War history on the Western Front is now available to download, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“The Ngā Tapuwae Western Front Trails take visitors around places of special significance to our history, such as Passchendaele and the Somme,” Ms Barry says.

“A free smartphone and tablet app that accompanies the trails has been released and gives people the chance to follow in the footsteps of our soldiers and find out more about their experience on the Western Front.”

Three Niuean soldiers who served in the First World War will now be included in the New Zealand Roll of Honour and Commonwealth War Graves Commission records, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“Privates Alotau 16/1030, Mitipauni 16/1096 and Muimatagi 16/1098 will be added to the Roll after extensive research into First World War service records by the New Zealand Defence Force,” Ms Barry says.

Former Wellington Mayor and MP Fran Wilde has been appointed to the board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

“With Ms Wilde’s extensive leadership and governance experience in the public and private sectors, I have no doubt she will make a valuable contribution to the important work of the Te Papa board,” Ms Barry says.

Wellington lawyer John McCay has been appointed to the New Zealand Film Commission Board, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

“John McCay has extensive experience in corporate and commercial law, including more than 20 years advising public sector bodies,” Ms Barry says.

“He also brings significant expertise in the infrastructure, technology, sports, film and entertainment industries to the Commission.”

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry will leave for Europe tomorrow to take part in a series of memorial events, visit the new Ngā Tapuwae New Zealand First World War trails and build ties for the next three years of centenary commemorations.

Ms Barry will travel to France, Belgium and Italy during her visit, meeting with the French Secretary of State for Veteran’s Affairs, Jean-Marc Todeschini.

Clare Murray of Christchurch has been appointed to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra board, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry confirmed today.

“Clare Murray has extensive experience of music and arts governance and brings that knowledge and business acumen to this important role,” Ms Barry says.

“A strong supporter of the arts in Canterbury, Mrs Murray has been a trustee and chair of the Christchurch Arts Festival. I am sure she will make a significant contribution as the NZSO enters an exciting phase in its history.”

The centenary of the Battle of Chunuk Bair will be marked in Wellington this weekend with a national commemorative service at Pukeahu National War Memorial Park, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

On August 8, 1915, soldiers from the Wellington Battalion took the heights of Chunuk Bair in a night attack. After fierce fighting, the New Zealanders and allied forces were driven from the position, suffering heavy losses.

Dame Patsy Reddy has been reappointed as Chair of the New Zealand Film Commission, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

Charles Finny has also been reappointed as a member of the Commission.

Both of Wellington, Dame Patsy and Mr Finny are joined by three new appointments; Ross McRobie of Wanaka, Ian Taylor of Dunedin and Jane Hastings of Auckland.

“These are exciting times for the film industry with many emerging growth opportunities for the already highly successful sector to take advantage of,” Ms Barry says.

Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry today announced the results of the first review of the New Zealand Screen Production Grant (NZSPG).

The NZSPG replaced the Large Budget Screen Production Grant (LBSPG) for international productions and the Screen Production Incentive Fund (SPIF) for New Zealand productions, with effect from April 2014.

The review concluded that the NZSPG has had a positive first year with its economic, industry development and cultural objectives achieved, Mr Joyce says.

Andrew Caisley from Auckland has been appointed a member of the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

“I’m pleased to welcome Andrew Caisley to the council,” Ms Barry says. “He has longstanding experience in governance of theatre and arts organisations and I am sure he will make a valuable contribution.”

Wayne Marriott JP has been appointed to the board of Heritage New Zealand and the Māori Heritage Council, replacing the late Sir Ian Athfield, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry announced today.

“I am very pleased someone with the skills, background and community experience of Wayne Marriott has been able to take up these important positions,” Ms Barry says.

“He has extensive experience in the heritage sector, with a community perspective which will make him a valuable contributor to both roles.”

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry and Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner congratulate the winners of the eighth annual Arts Access Awards for their work in providing access to the arts.

“The Arts Access Awards celebrate the individuals, community groups and organisations that provide opportunities for people with limited access to engage with the arts, both as audience and artist,” Ms Barry says.

“It was a very impressive occasion, and a reminder of the vibrancy and diversity of the creative arts sector.”

Newly released research shows more Kiwis enjoy and value the arts than ever before, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

Composer Jack Body made an enormous contribution to the development and recognition of New Zealand music here and overseas, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

Mr Body, 70, died in Wellington on Sunday.

“An inspirational and talented composer and ethno-musicologist, he will long be remembered for his many diverse compositions, from the music for the TV series Close to Home to the award-winning Pulse which won the 2002 New Zealand Music Award for Best Classical CD,” Ms Barry says.

Kua hinga te tōtara o Te Wao-nui-a-Tāne,

Ka tangi a Ngāti Hine, ka tangi te motu,

Ko te pou tokomanawa o te reo kua wahangū.

A tree has fallen in the great forest of Tāne

Ngāti Hine mourns, and the nation mourns with them,

The mainstay of the Māori language has been silenced.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has extended her condolences to the family of Erima Henare who passed away suddenly, aged 61.

A spectacular week of events to mark the centenary of the Gallipoli landings during the First World War begins this Saturday, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says.

“Anzac Week is a chance for all New Zealanders to honour the sacrifice of previous generations, understand how our sense of nationhood was forged and come together to reflect on the scale and horror of what our troops endured,” Ms Barry says.

Ceremonies in Wellington begin with the official opening of the Pukeahu National War Memorial Park at 11am on Saturday.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry says a new website featuring previously unavailable film from World War I is an engrossing historical resource.

Anzac: Sights & Sounds, from Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision, gives an evocative, insightful and compelling view of the conflict, using archival film footage gathered from across the world, recorded interviews, songs and photographs.

“The films and audio recordings on the website are an extraordinary record of a tragic and painful time in New Zealand’s history,” Ms Barry says.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry is pleased Dambuster Les Munro’s medals and other items will be staying in New Zealand.

Mr Munro has accepted the generous offer of British philanthropist Lord Ashcroft to donate £75,000 to the Bomber Command memorial in London, in return for Mr Munro gifting the medals and logbooks to the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT) in Auckland.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Maggie Barry has welcomed the release of a free smartphone and tablet app which offers a new way to explore the Gallipoli campaign.

The Ngā Tapuwae Gallipoli app features compelling diary entries from the First World War, with clear facts, authentic and beautiful imagery as well as audio tours narrated by leading historians.

The app is designed to be used offline to avoid expensive roaming charges and is free for all to download in New Zealand and overseas.