• 
• 

Arts Access Aotearoa is seeking nominations to its Big ‘A’ Awards 2011, the only national awards in New Zealand celebrating the often unsung work being done throughout New Zealand to provide artistic opportunities for people with limited access.

Arts Access Aotearoa is seeking nominations to its Big ‘A’ Awards 2011, the only national awards in New Zealand celebrating the often unsung work being done throughout New Zealand to provide artistic opportunities for people with limited access.

The Big ‘A’ Awards are presented each year at a special ceremony in Parliament. This year’s awards have five categories. This includes a new award, the Big ‘A’ Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award, recognising an arts organisation or company that has gone to extraordinary lengths to become more accessible to the disabled community.

Nominations close at 5pm on 25 March 2011. The five award categories are:

• Big ‘A’ Creative Space Award, celebrating the outstanding contribution and impact of a creative space providing access to the arts for people with limited access opportunities
• Big ‘A’ Community Partnership Award, recognising a mutually beneficial partnership between two or more organisations/formal structures actively engaged in a community arts project
• Big ‘A’ Prison Arts Leadership Award, recognising the outstanding contribution of art tutors, prison staff, contractors or volunteers in the rehabilitation of prisoners through the arts
• Big ‘A’ Winton and Margaret Bear Young Artist Award, recognising and supporting the development of a talented young artist (21 years or under on 30 June 2011) in the Great Wellington region, who faces barriers in pursuing his/her artistic potential
• Big ‘A’ Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award, recognising an arts organisation or company that has gone to extraordinary lengths to become more accessible to the disabled community.

Richard Benge, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, paid tribute to those who worked to provide access to the arts in communities throughout New Zealand.

“These awards recognise the brilliant work by individuals and organisations that makes participation in the arts possible for all people – whatever their circumstances.”

Arts Access Aotearoa is a national organisation that strives for a society where all people are able to participate in the arts, whatever their circumstances. Its key stakeholders are disabled people, disconnected youth, senior citizens, mental health service users, disadvantaged migrants and refugees. It is also the key organisation in New Zealand advocating for the arts as a tool for change in prisons.

Each award has a nomination form. You are able to nominate yourself or others. For more information and nomination forms, please visit our website (www.artsaccess.org.nz) or contact Emma Chinnock (T: 04 802 4349 E: community@artsaccess.org.nz).