About Us

A small group of New Zealanders begin thinking about a solution for growing philanthropy for the arts in New Zealand, and incorporated what is now the Arts Foundation of New Zealand Te Tumu Toi o Aotearoa in 1998. To kick things off, this visionary team successfully negotiated a $5 million donation from the Lottery Grant Board. 

The turn of the millennium marks a special milestone for The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi – the first ever Laureate Awards, gifting $30,000 each to a selection of outstanding artists from across the disciplines.

Richard Cathie begins as chair.

Four Laureates were awarded this year. 

“I believe that the basic responsibility of New Zealand filmmakers is to make films principally for the New Zealand audience. If we don’t, no-one else will”
Dame Gaylene Preston DNZM

Simon Bowden – a musician and public policy graduate managing the Wellington Jazz Festival joins The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi as Executive Director, for what would ultimately be a 17-year tenure.

“Because it wasn’t Government funded, there wasn’t any backstop there; you were always on the edge of your seat."

Marks the birth of the Icon Awards Whakamana Hiranga – The Arts Foundation’s highest honour. With the support of Sir Eion and Lady Jan Edgar, these awards are bestowed upon a living circle of twenty of New Zealand’s most significant artists, to mark their extraordinary lifetime achievements and to recognise their immense impact on their practice, community, and the cultural landscape of Aotearoa. Former Arts Foundation Trustee, Sir Hugh Kawharu, gifted the words ‘whakamana i te hiranga’ to describe the Icon Awards. The words can be interpreted as ‘to give honour at an occasion of great significance'.

2004 Laureate John Pule ONZM receiving his award from Helen Clark ONZ SSI PC.

Seven Icon Whakamana Hiranga were awarded to: Patricia Grace DCNZM QSO, Russell Kerr ONZM QSM, Peter Godfrey CBE, Alexander Grant CBE, Dr Pakariki Harrison QSO, Margaret Mahy ONZM, and Donald Munro.

Ros Burdon begins as chair.

The New Generation Awards were launched with recipients billed as “the hot shots, the ones to watch, and the ones that have an X-factor that sets them apart from their peers. They have assured potential.” These awards ran until 2018, when they were transitioned to Springboard Awards, a similar award but one that comes with mentorship.

First Marti Friedlander Photographic Award is given to Edith Amituanai MNZM to the value of $25,000.

Six Icon Whakamana Hiranga awarded to: Ans Westra CNZM, Don Selwyn ONZM, Don Peebles ONZM, Arnold Manaaki Wilson MNZM QSM, and Raymond Boyce MBE.
 

The Harriet Friedlander Scholarship Trust and the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi launched a new international residency (gifting $100,000 to an artist to experience New York). Harriet Friedlander was a dedicated supporter of the arts, who loved New York, believing that the city nurtured artists. The first recipient was filmmaker Florian Habicht.

Laureates awarded to: Witi Ihimaera DCNZM QSM, Lyonel Grant, Chris Knox, Anne Noble ONZM, George Henare CNZM OBE, and Richard Nunns QSM.

The inaugural Mallinson Rendel Illustrators Award – initially worth $10,000 – occurred this year. The award was established to recognise the painterly skills, imagination and artistry in picture books, and was to be presented every two years to a children’s illustrator. 

Fran Ricketts begins as chair.

A glamourous Awards night celebrating 2011 Laureates, along with New Generation Recipients, and the Marti Friedlander Award, Mallinson Rendell Award.

2012 Laureates; Hareruia Aperahama, Fiona Samuel MNZM, Tony de Lautour, Rachel House ONZM, and Gregory O’Brien.

Enter: Boosted.
After three years of working with a tight group of passionate trustees (Derek Handley, Tony Balfour and Ainsley Walters), Simon Bowden’s idea to grow arts philanthropy for the many, and at scale by empowering artists to engage their own giving communities came to fruition. The site raised $5m over 6 years, before it needed a major rebuild. Thanks to the Parkin Gift and the fantastic work of the Boosted team, it’s now raised over $14m and counting for the arts in Aotearoa – and has grown to bringing $1.7m on average a year for creatives at all levels.

2014 Laureate Cliff Curtis receiving his award at the 2014 Westpac Arts Awards.

Garth Gallaway begins as chair

To mark 45 years since the first Katherine Mansfield Menton Fellowship, the Arts Foundation partnered with the Winn-Mason Menton Trust for a fundraising campaign. They raised over $1.2m to secure the fellowship’s future. Te Tumu Toi now supports an Advisory Committee to ensure a writer is sent to Menton annually.
 

2016 Laureate Eleanor Catton receiving her award.

2017 Award recipients: Roberta Thornley, Tiffany Singh, Carl Nixon, Rob Ruha, Dame Robin White DNZM, Donovan Bixley ONZM, Hera Lindsay Bird, Niki Caro MNZM. Not present: Ross McCormack, Jemaine Clement, and Selina Fisher.

Amid a changing giving landscape, the Board hires arts engagement agency Brown Bread to help secure the Foundation’s financial and cultural future with new givers and revitalised programs.

Brown Bread became a delivery partner. In 2019, the Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi launched the Springboard programme, offering $15,000 and mentorship for up to eight emerging artists annually.

Marked a milestone for the Icon Awards Whakamana Hiranga, honoring a total of 40 artists — 20 living and 20 posthumously. The Arts Foundation also launched All in for Arts: He waka toi e eke noa nei tātou, a campaign supported by Creative New Zealand, hosting free breakfast events in ten towns to engage Kiwis in the impact of creativity. Additionally, Te Tumu Toi celebrated its 21st anniversary with a vibrant Laureate Party, bringing together artists, supporters, and friends

The independent selection panel noticed one standout individual who didn’t meet the traditional Laureate criteria, sparking a long-held desire within the Foundation to recognize timely impact on New Zealand’s arts. This led to the creation of The Moment In Time Award He Momo, honoring a change-maker who made a significant cultural impact within that year. The inaugural recipient was curator, Nigel Borell, and the award was supported by Bruce and Tina Qin. Chair Garth Gallaway leaves the board after 10 years of service.

Boosted hits $10m through the site since inception. That’s $10m from everyday New Zealanders, supporting arts and creativity right across Aotearoa. Jessica Palalagi starts at Brown Bread as GM / Kaiwhakahere of The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi. 

Chelsea Winstanley ONZM and Kent Gardner begin as co-chairs.

Saw strong business support for the arts. One New Zealand partnered with The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi, adding $5,000 to each Laureate’s $30,000 gift, totaling $315,000 for the arts community. Additionally, 2011 Laureate Dr. Fiona
Pardington pledged $25,000 annually for three years to back the Springboard Award, reflecting a growing trend of artists giving back to fellow artists.

With Boosted hitting $1.9m annual revenue and continued growth in Kotahi giving and business sponsorship, the Board started looking to the future. Co-Chair Kent Gardner was selected as the new chair of the Arts Council. Knowing he would need to step down from his Arts Foundation leadership position, he rallied the Board to think about legacy and set up a capital campaign to raise another $5m and sustain the future of the foundation for another 25 years.