Wellingtonian Jaqui Knowles has been awarded the Creative New Zealand-Blumhardt Foundation Curatorial Internship for 2007-08.

Based at TheNewDowse in Lower Hutt, the annual Internship provides an important opportunity for an emerging curator or artist to develop curatorial skills and experience on an exhibition project focusing on the decorative arts and design. Wellingtonian Jaqui Knowles has been awarded the Creative New Zealand-Blumhardt Foundation Curatorial Internship for 2007-08.

Based at TheNewDowse in Lower Hutt, the annual Internship provides an important opportunity for an emerging curator or artist to develop curatorial skills and experience on an exhibition project focusing on the decorative arts and design.The exhibition, which will open in The Blumhardt Gallery at TheNewDowse in March 2008, will draw upon the work and ethos of Dr Doreen Blumhardt, and two important collections.

"I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to develop an exhibition that draws from TheNewDowse and the Blumhardt Foundation collections," said Knowles. "Curatorial internships such as this are rare in New Zealand. To be given the chance to work so closely with decorative arts from these collections and alongside museum professionals is a fantastic opportunity to develop my career and contribute to our arts sector."

Jaqui Knowles is a Fine Arts graduate from University of Canterbury and is completing a a Master of Museum & Heritage Studies from Victoria University of Wellington. She worked in Switzerland for a number of years in the film, animation and post-production industries before returning to New Zealand to complete her Masters and pursue a career in the arts sector.

Since then she has worked for TheNewDowse and the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa on their collections and in exhibition roles, and more recently, was exhibition manager for the Petone Settlers Museum. While developing ideas and research for the March 2008 exhibition she is also assisting the curatorial team working on TheNewDowse's forthcoming exhibition in the Blumhardt Gallery - Of Heart and Hands - which marries Doreen Blumhardt's interest in education and folk art traditions with Indian mural painter, Shanti Devi.

Creative New Zealand provides $15,000 towards the Internship as an important professional development opportunity for New Zealand curators.

The Blumhardt Foundation was formed in 2003 by Dr Doreen Blumhardt to realise her desire to use her collection and estate for furthering the development of the decorative arts and design in New Zealand. Blumhardt is one of New Zealand's foremost potters and has worked as a ceramicist and arts educator for over 70 years. In 2006 she was appointed New Zealand's highest accolade, The Order of New Zealand.

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