Do you want to see an outstanding disabled artist recognised? Or how about a leader providing access to the arts for people in New Zealand? Nominations to this year’s Arts Access Awards, presented annually by Arts Access Aotearoa, close on Friday 2 March 2015.

The Arts Access Awards celebrate the contribution of individuals, groups and organisations in providing access to the arts. They also acknowledge the achievements and contribution of a New Zealand-based artist with a physical, sensory or intellectual impairment, or lived experience of mental ill-health.

Profiling excellence and leadership in the arts
Richard Benge, Executive Director of Arts Access Aotearoa, says the Arts Access Awards play an important role in profiling excellence and leadership in the arts and disability sectors. They also highlight leaders in the use of the arts as a tool supporting the rehabilitative process of prisoners and their reintegration back into society on release.

“The nomination process is a great opportunity for people to play their part in recognising New Zealand’s leaders of access to the arts – often the unsung heroes of society who make a real difference,” he says.

“Industry judging panels select the award recipients but ensuring you nominate your leaders is a vital part of the process. Without a nomination, they cannot be considered.”

Six award categories
The six award categories are:

• Arts Access Artistic Achievement Award, recognising the outstanding achievements and contribution of a New Zealand-based artist, who has a physical, sensory or intellectual impairment, or lived experience of mental ill-health
• Arts Access Creative Space Award, recognising the outstanding contribution and impact of a creative space that provides opportunities for people with limited access to make art, across any or all artforms
• Arts Access CQ Hotels Wellington Community Partnership Award, recognising a mutually beneficial partnership between two or more organisations or groups actively engaged in a community-based arts project
• Arts Access Creative New Zealand Arts For All Award, recognising a performing arts company, festival, venue, producer, gallery or museum that best demonstrates its commitment to developing its audiences by becoming more accessible to disabled and Deaf people.
• Arts Access Prison Arts Leadership Award, recognising the outstanding contribution of a New Zealand prison using the arts as a tool to support the rehabilitation of prisoners or their reintegration into the community on release.
• Arts Access Prison Arts Community Award, recognising the outstanding contribution of a community group or community organisation working with the Department of Corrections and using the arts as a tool to support the rehabilitation of prisoners or their reintegration into the community on release.

Arts Access Aotearoa is the key national organisation working to increase access to the arts for everyone in New Zealand, whatever their circumstances. Its key stakeholders are people with physical, sensory or intellectual impairments; individuals and organisations in the community and professional arts sectors; and people with lived experience of mental ill-health.

It is also the key organisation in New Zealand facilitating the arts as a tool to support the rehabilitative process of prisoners and their reintegration back into the community on release.

Nominations close at 5pm on Friday 2 March 2015.