The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi Springboard Nominations Open To Kickstart a Career in the Arts

The Arts Foundation Springboard programme is a financial, mentoring and resource support system designed to have a significant impact on the recipients growth and development as artists – giving them a lift of confidence to start a full time career in the arts.

Along with a $15,000 untagged-gift towards their work and practice, the successful recipients are matched with senior artist mentors from Arts Foundation alumni of Laureates, Icons, New Generation, residency or Fellowship recipients to help assist them with the next aspect of their career. Mentors also receive a $5,000 koha for their time.

“Springboard affords me the time and space to plan and execute more of my own projects. It also allows me to build the team I need to make it all happen. I am driven to continue to pave a way forward for my community, my industry and anyone who might see me about and think "I want to do what she's doing,” says Moana Ete, inaugural Springboard recipient. “Niki Caro said to me in our first meeting "try not to look too hard for a template" I am eager to follow her advice to follow my instincts, to trust that everyone I have worked with for over 10 years has given me every tool and I will ever need.”

Applications to nominate artists open Thursday 12 November 2020 and close Monday 14 December 2020 at 11.59 pm and can be made at https://www.thearts.co.nz/awards/springboard

The selection criteria focuses on awarding creatives with outstanding potential who want to start careers in a variety of arts discipline. To be considered for the Springboard programme:

• The artist must show potential to develop a sustainable career and practise in the arts

• The award must have major impact on the artist to carry out working as an artist for a year

• The artist could be in their final year of formal education ready to develop a practice after completion or have developed a practice independent of any formal teaching institution.

• They will show potential to develop their careers either as independent artists or within a creative community

• The artist needs to show commitment and intent for a career

• The artist must be endorsed by a nominator (who will act as referee if need be)

• Attention will be given to diversity of gender, regional location and representation of a variety of artistic disciplines

• The artist must be a permanent resident of Aotearoa

• The artist must be available to promote Springboard and the Arts Foundation. At least one of the artists selected has to be a visual artist (this is a request by funder, the Edgar Family)

The inaugural Arts Foundation Springboard packages have been funded thanks to the Edgar Family, the Todd Trust and some generous Arts Foundation supporters.

Nominations can be made at https://www.thearts.co.nz/springboard-nomination-form.

Meet the 2020 inaugural Springboard award recipients here.