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Internal Affairs Minister Chris Tremain today announced 17 projects commemorating the centenary of the First World War have been granted close to $1.7 million in funding by the New Zealand Lottery Grants Board.

“A total of $1,196,533 has gone to support sixteen community projects. In addition the Massey University Foundation has received a grant of $500,000 towards its three volumes of “The Centenary History of New Zealand and the First World War,” says Mr Tremain.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson today paid tribute to the life of author Barbara Anderson, who passed away yesterday aged 86.

“Barbara Anderson was one of our finest writers, and also one of the most inspiring, becoming an internationally successful author in her sixties,” Mr Finlayson said. “After completing Bill Manhire’s creative writing degree at Victoria University, she went on to write acclaimed short stories, novels, and autobiography.”

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister and Wellington-based Member of Parliament Christopher Finlayson says he is very disappointed at the on-going inability of the Wellington City Council to get its act together and progress the Basin Reserve Flyover.

“This latest vote to do nothing is illustrative of a Council wasting time and ratepayer money when a decision should have been made some time ago,” he said.

Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Christopher Finlayson has welcomed Boosted, the Arts Foundation’s new philanthropic crowd-funding platform, saying it will encourage greater private sector giving to strengthen the arts sector.

“Boosted is a great example of the innovative thinking by Arts sector participants to allow the public to become more involved in supporting the arts,” Mr Finlayson said. “The Arts Foundation is to be congratulated on its determination to generate new streams of incomes for the arts.”

Dr Richard Grant has been appointed chair of the Arts Council of Creative New Zealand, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

Dr Grant replaces Alastair Carruthers, who has continued in the role pending new legislation which replaces the current governance structure with a new unitary Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa. Mr Carruthers is commencing a new role as the chief executive of a national law firm.

E te rangatira
Kei te tangi Te Aupouri
Kei te tangi Te Motu

(We acknowledge a great leader,
The people of Te Aupouri grieve,
The nation grieves with them.)

It is a great honour to represent the government today as we remember a great New Zealander – and one of Dunedin’s favourite adopted sons.

It is a testament to the people, the artistic and literary community and the natural beauty of Otago that Ralph, and another great artist of the far north, Hone Tuwhare, chose to make this region their home.

A report on New Zealand’s Professional Orchestral Sector has been released and provides a more effective framework for supporting the delivery of high quality orchestral services, Arts. Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The five orchestras reviewed were the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra (NZSO), the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra, the Orchestra Wellington, the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Southern Sinfonia.

Associate Professor Hon Luamanuvao Winnie Laban QSO has been appointed a member of the Arts Board of Creative New Zealand, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

She replaces Pele Walker, who is retiring after nearly seven years as an Arts Board member to enable her to focus on other board appointments.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson has welcomed the opening of the new Air Force Museum extension and the Canterbury Cultural Collections Recovery Centre in Wigram today.

The new Air Force Museum extension was conceived to house aircraft and large objects for conservation but is being used temporarily for the restoration, storage and rehabilitation of heritage and cultural collections affected by the Canterbury earthquakes.  It was opened by His Excellency, the Governor General Lieutenant General Sir Jerry Mateparae in Christchurch today.

Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Chris Finlayson and Broadcasting Minister, Craig Foss today marked the successful transfer of responsibility for New Zealand’s Sound Archives.

Responsibility for Radio New Zealand’s Sound Archives (Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero) was transferred to the New Zealand Film Archive in October 2012. A ceremony to mark the transfer was held at the New Zealand Film Archive today. 

The government has welcomed today’s announcement by Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard of the design for the Australian Memorial which will be located in the National War Memorial Park in Wellington.

“It is a powerful and affecting design which will be a fitting tribute to the relationship between Australia and New Zealand and our shared military history,” Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said.

A bill that gives effect to New Zealand’s international obligations to protect cultural property from destruction or theft in times of war has been passed by the House.

The Cultural Property (Protection in Armed Conflict) Bill strengthens the current operational practice and excellent reputation of our armed services personnel overseas with respect to protecting cultural property in war zones Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Chris Finlayson said.

The Crown Prince of Belgium, HRH Prince Philippe, accompanied by the Belgian Defence Minister Pieter De Crem, will lead a business delegation to New Zealand from 27 to 29 November, Arts and Culture Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

In addition to engaging in trade promotion, Prince Philippe will meet the Prime Minister and be guest of honour at a dinner hosted by the Governor-General Lt Gen the Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae at Government House.

Arts Minister Christopher Finlayson has welcomed the first evaluation report of Sistema Aotearoa, saying it justifies the investment made in the children’s classical music programme by the government and private philanthropists.

Construction of the National War Memorial Park in Buckle Street was declared underway, following a sod-turning ceremony and blessing of the site on Buckle Street in Wellington, by Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson.

The park is the Government’s key project to acknowledge the Centenary of the First World War, and is intended to be completed in time for the 100th anniversary of the Gallipoli landing on Anzac day 2015.

Legislation to ensure a fitting National War Memorial Park will be developed at the National War Memorial site in Wellington in time for Anzac Day 2015 was passed by the House tonight.

The National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill allows the creation a unified National War Memorial Precinct in Wellington’s Buckle Street.

Donald Best, Marie Brown and Georgia Farmer have been reappointed for second terms to the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra board, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

“I am very pleased that these three members have agreed to continue their contribution to the governance of our world class national orchestra,” Mr Finlayson said. “Together they bring a diverse range of skills and experience to the board table”

Wellington business risk and assurance expert Aloysius Teh has been appointed to the board of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa), and Dr Michael Bassett has been re-appointed for a further one-year term, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The announcement of a merger between the NBR New Zealand Opera and Southern Opera is an exciting and welcome development, Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson said today.

By bringing Southern Opera into its fold, the NBR New Zealand Opera will now have bases in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. It will ensure the South Island is also well served by an international standard opera company, with its national reach.

Responsibility for Radio New Zealand’s Sound Archives (Sound Archives Nga Taonga Korero) is being transferred to the New Zealand Film Archive, announced the Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister, Chris Finlayson and Broadcasting Minister, Craig Foss today.

A transfer agreement has been signed, and takes effect from 1 October 2012.

Legislation to ensure that a fitting National War Memorial Park will be developed in Wellington in time for Anzac Day 2015 passed its first reading in the House last night.

The National War Memorial Park (Pukeahu) Empowering Bill was referred to the Transport and Industrial Relations Select Committee and will be reported back to parliament by 18 September, in anticipation of work beginning on the National War Memorial Park in October.

Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson have today announced details of a National War Memorial Park to be developed in time for Anzac Day 2015.

The National War Memorial Park was announced by the Prime Minister this morning outside the National War Memorial in Wellington.

Disestablishing the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra is unthinkable, and is not a possible outcome of any review of the orchestral music sector, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Christopher Finlayson said today.

“The NZSO is a world class institution,” he said. “It has a fundamental role to play in the future of the orchestral sector. Any suggestion that the NZSO is in any way under threat is utterly without foundation and is laughable.”

Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson today congratulated the Wellington East Girls‘ College choir, Cantala, for their first-equal placing in the treble choir category of the prestigious Summa Cum Laude international youth music festival in Vienna.

“This is an outstanding achievement for the 31 young women involved and choir director Brent Stewart,” Mr Finlayson said. “They have done their school and New Zealand proud.”

Cantala was judged best of 23 choirs in the category.