Show latest news, more from November 2004.
Fund to support arts-science collaboration
After a successful pilot in 2003, Creative New Zealand is bringing back its Smash Palace Collaboration Fund to give more artists and scientists the opportunity to work together on projects that fuse the two sectors. The return of the Smash Palace Fund, the result of a partnership between the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) and Creative New Zealand, was announced today at Futurability, a workshop on the future of skills development for research, science and technology. ‘Connections, collisions and other surprises can happen when science and art meet,’ said Elizabeth Kerr, Chief Executive of Creative New Zealand. ‘Innovation thrives in a climate that supports risk-taking, encourages true experimentation and allows for the possibility of failure – or magnificent success. That’s what Smash Palace provides,’ concurred Dr Helen Anderson, Chief Executive of MoRST. Building connections across different disciplines is seen by the Government as an important part of fostering New Zealand’s innovative and dynamic culture. The Smash Palace collaboration between MoRST and Creative New Zealand was recently recognised as a leading initiative in this vein, winning the State Sector Category at the 2004 NZ BearingPoint Innovation Awards. Last year’s pilot fund supported three projects - a virtual reality children’s picture book, a web-based performance venue and a work portraying social and environmental interconnections in the Motueka River catchment. The term “Smash Palace” refers to the panelbeater’s shop in the New Zealand film of the same name. MoRST and Creative New Zealand chose the title to convey the fact that artists and scientists are passionate people, who bring their own dreams and expectations to the collaborative process. This process can involve creative ‘smashes’ that ignite ideas to achieve extraordinary and unexpected results. Funding for the extension to the collaboration fund was provided through the Growth and Innovation Framework component of the Government’s Budget, announced in May this year. Applications for this year’s fund, which offers applicants a pool of $600,000, close on 18 February 2005. To download the Smash Palace guidelines and further information as a PDF document, CLICK HERE.
The international who's who in cultural policy, planning and research >