Keeping it Kiwi
When the show started in 2004, it was the first of its kind in New Zealand: a large-scale exhibition and sale of original New Zealand art at affordable prices.
The show was a godsend for emerging artists: it provided the perfect platform for artists, emerging and established, to get their art seen by thousands of art enthusiasts. It also gave all New Zealanders an opportunity to experience a diverse range of artwork in a relaxed and welcoming setting.
There was certainly a gap in the market and since then the show has grown from strength to strength.
Thirteen years on, the NZ Art Show has grown in stature to cement itself as a hub of artistic curiosity with an average of 10,000 attendees every year.
The NZ Art Show's philosophy is quite simple: keep it Kiwi, diverse, good quality and affordable.
The NZ Art Show has proven to be a great success story – enabling talented artists to establish their careers and making original New Zealand art more accessible to a wider audience.
The statistics speak for themselves:
• 4,000 NZ artists represented
• Around $10,000,000 of art sold
• $9,000,000 returned back to the artists themselves
• 35,000 artworks exhibited
• 17,500 artworks sold
• $85,000 presented to artists in award programmes
• Over 100,000 people have attended the shows
The NZ Art Show is governed by the New Zealand Affordable Art Trust (NZAAT), a not for profit organisation committed to celebrating New Zealand identity and culture through art and promoting New Zealand artists by providing opportunities to further their development. The Trust is a significant contributor to the arts community.