On Giving: Our New Trustee, Bentley de Beyer
23.01.2025

Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Trustee Bentley de Beyer
Bentley de Beyer joined the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Board of Trustees in 2025, bringing 25 years of experience in global HR leadership and a passion for the arts.
Returning to Aotearoa in 2023 – with his husband interior designer Dean Sharpe and son Oliver – Bentley is an avid collector of New Zealand and Australian art, and champions artists early in their careers.
We asked Bentley to share his thoughts on art, creativity, and his journey so far.
We hear you’re a collector – who are the three artists you’re coveting right now?
It is difficult to narrow down to three! If I had to: Tia Ranginui, David Noonan, Lynn Chadwick
Why do you think the arts are so important to New Zealand?
The arts are a direct representation of New Zealand culture - where it has been, where it is now and where it is going. Artists are custodians of the soul of a culture - there is no more important calling!
Who would be your dream dinner party guest(s)?
Gore Vidal, Lisa Reihana, Iris Apfel, Tadao Ando, Trevor Noah and my husband Dean
Having lived around the world, what’s been your favourite creative experience and why?
Staying for two days on Naoshima Island in Japan was super inspiring - the cohesiveness and scale of the vision of its founder, the opportunity to revitalize an area suffering decline, interaction of space and context with the artworks and capacity to lift up your soul in the process.
With your HR experience in many corporate settings, why do you believe creativity is essential to business?
Business and growth are driven by innovation. Innovation is sparked by competence, resilience and creativity. Look at any great business success story and it is this innovation - creativity coupled with excellence in execution - that is the essential ingredient.
What excites you most about joining the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi?
The privilege to serve the incredibly talented artists of Aotearoa and raise funds to ensure their practices continue to flourish, in a world where their work and contribution is critical now more than ever.
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