For over ten years, Duncan Greive has been writing and following the news, now he’s making the news. As founder and editor of The Spinoff, publisher, writer and critic Duncan is the recipient of the Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2016 announced at the ART Awards.

The publishing industry faces many challenges to its viability while maintaining standards of journalism and integrity. Duncan Greive has established an innovative media platform that not only presents engaging multimedia content but also sustains and supports New Zealand writers. The Spinoff has grown to become a must-read source of analysis, humour and cultural commentary with a loyal audience of over 350,000 monthly users.

Duncan’s track record and impact as an innovator and creative business leader in the publishing and online media sector was recognised by judges Dayle Mace, Charlie McDermott and Mei Hill.

“At a time when the publishing environment has been significantly disrupted and the industry is seeking new, viable models, Duncan has established and built a successful online 21st century media brand, which is both a challenge and a triumph” says Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2013, Charlie McDermott.

Duncan has proved to be an entrepreneur and innovator in New Zealand’s online media landscape, achieving success for The Spinoff through establishing a business model of key sponsorship relationships and a customised content creation service for businesses. He has sought to balance the needs of The Spinoff audiences and interests of the writers within that model, to ensure content is locally produced, topical and relevant, and of a consistently high standard.

“Through The Spinoff, Duncan has created a fresh and vital platform for New Zealand writers and critics, both emerging and established, to research and publish critical discussion and opinions, and be paid for it” notes Dayle Mace, ART Board member.

“Much mainstream media we access and consume in Aotearoa New Zealand is populated by overseas content of varying quality and relevance. The Spinoff content is homegrown, bold and current, reflecting an editorial policy which supports, values and seeks out work of Aotearoa New Zealand writers and producers,” observes Mei Hill, Kaitiaki Toi at Ngāti Whātua Orākei.

Duncan started The Spinoff as something of a whim, one which has swollen to engulf almost his entire life. “To have something like this swoop down, so unexpectedly, and validate all the long hours and weird risks we've taken. I love The Spinoff so much, and the energy generated by our incredible staff and contributors....This award has been the most extraordinary gift, and came along at the perfect time."

Duncan was selected from a shortlist of successful creative, entrepreneurial people, who were nominated by their peers. The Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2016 Award brings with it a $10,000 cash award for Duncan, along with the recognition of the leadership, hard work and determination he has shown to create a new media business in a challenging environment, for the benefit of users, writers and content makers alike.

Held at Q Theatre on 31 August the ART Awards celebrate and acknowledge many creative entrepreneurs. As announced on the night were 12 most recent ART Venture Awardees.

The Award Recipients are: Amber Curreen | Bridget Pegler-Ellis | Deborah Crowe | Donna Brookbanks | Hans Kim | Iulia Leilua | Judy Dale | Mardo El Noor | Martin Hill | Mina Mathieson | Miranda Brown | Sharu Delilkan.

The year-long ART Venture programme provides start-up and experienced creative entrepreneurs with a flexible yet intensive action-learning environment that, through peer-to-peer support, specialist coaching, a seed fund pitching process and an innovative curriculum, accelerates the creative enterprise development of each participant. The value to each of the participants is $38,000, which represents the Arts Regional Trust’s commitment to and meaningful investment in Auckland’s creative future.

Also honoured was inaugural ART Emerging Creative Entrepreneur 2016 awardee Sarah Longbottom, educator and founder of Ngā Rangatahi Toa.

Contact
Candy Elsmore, Project Director, m | 027 279 0002 e | info@artsregionaltrust.org.nz www.artsregionaltrust.org.nz

About Duncan Greive

Award-winning editor and features writer Duncan Greive is also editor of The Spinoff, an online culture magazine which he founded in 2014. Through The Spinoff, he has developed an innovative media platform that presents engaging multimedia content while also sustaining and supporting New Zealand writers. Through his role as The Spinoff editor he has also made it a priority to support and create opportunities for both emerging and established New Zealand writers.

Throughout his career as a writer and editor for leading New Zealand publications, Duncan has excelled at telling in-depth stories in compelling and insightful ways. He has extensive magazine, marketing and editorial experience and has written for a wide range of publications including Sunday magazine, Idealog, Sky Sport: The Magazine, Volume, Metro, North and South, The Listener, Faster Louder and The Guardian. Duncan writes on a range of topics, however he has a particular interest in music and sports writing. Before launching The Spinoff Duncan was the editor of the music and pop culture magazine Real Groove for three years from 2006 until 2009, and co-founded and wrote the sports blog Deadball. After finishing at Real Groove, Duncan then moved into a marketing role for Barkers, where he established and launched the bi-annual magazine 1972.

Some of Duncan’s major sports and music articles for Metro magazine have included his story on NZ singer Lorde, the first major feature on the singer, and on golfer Lydia Ko during her amateur days. He also co-authored Dan Carter: My Story, the autobiography of the All Black great, in 2015.

Duncan has won numerous awards for both his sport and arts writing, including the three Canon Media Awards. In 2016 The Spinoff received 11 Canon Awards nominations and won Best Lifestyle/Entertainment Site, while staff writers Alex Casey and Hayden Donnell also picked up wins acknowledging their work for The Spinoff.

About the Arts Regional Trust, Te Taumata Toi-a-Iwi  

Through its unique and innovative programmes and approach, ART is growing entrepreneurship in the Auckland Region’s arts, culture and creative sector to generate cultural, creative and economic outcomes that benefit the Region.

ART’s creative enterprise development programmes back high-achieving creative people intent on growing Auckland’s cultural capital into rich creative, social and economic outcomes. ART’s programmes accelerate and maximise business and career development outcomes for participants, creating a confident and prosperous creative sector and wider community benefit, now and into the future.

ART : History

The City Councils of Auckland and Manukau created the Arts Regional Trust: Te Taumata Toi-a–iwi (ART) in 2000 to manage and grow their combined share of funds ($6 million) provided through the disestablishment of Auckland Regional Services Trust.

Since then ART has invested $4 million in the Auckland Region’s arts, culture and creative industries through groundbreaking ART programmes such as ART Venture and ART Enterprise. The capital fund has grown to over $10.3 million (20 June 2015) under ART’s stewardship.

About ART’s Awards

ART Venture

ART Venture is a unique acceleration programme that brings together the arts, business, education and investment communities to back creative entrepreneurs and producers working in the Auckland region who are keen to contribute to Auckland’s arts, cultural and economic development.

The Programme provides start-up and experienced creative entrepreneur participants with a flexible yet intensive learning environment that through peer-to-peer support, specialist coaching and customised content accelerates the creative, professional and enterprise development of each participant.

Now in its seventh year, ART Venture has firmly established itself as a vital and sought after development programme for creative entrepreneurs drawn from across all disciplines of the arts, culture and creative industries sectors who are serious about growing their skills, projects and enterprises.

81 creative entrepreneurs already have benefited from their participation in the 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2015 ART Venture and ART Source programmes:

Hynds Creative Entrepreneur Award

Hynds Group of Companies has shown their commitment to the arts and creative entrepreneurs through their sponsorship of the Hynds Creative Entrepreneur Award. The previous Award winners are:

Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2012 | Ant Timpson
Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2013 | Charlie McDermott
Hynds Creative Entrepreneur 2015 | Shona McCullagh

Hynds Group of Companies is a New Zealand success story. Founded by John and Leonie Hynds in 1973, Hynds have become leaders in the supply of innovative solutions for products associated with water and water based waste. The Hynds Group consist of eight operating divisions employing 650 people throughout New Zealand and Australia. John Hynds was recognised in the 2011 New Years Honours list, and was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for his services to Business and Philanthropy, and was the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 1999. 

ART Emerging Creative Entrepreneur

Inaugurated this year, the ART Emerging Creative Entrepreneur Award recognises a practitioner on a creative career or enterprise development trajectory creating benefit for the wider Auckland community through what they do. The inaugural winner was educator, founder and director of Ngā Rangatahi Toa, Sarah Longbottom. The Award brings with it a $5,000 cash award for Sarah, as well as recognition of her extraordinary determination and leadership in establishing Ngā Rangatahi Toa , drawing on her knowledge and experience of New Zealand’s education system, and her research of successful mentoring models internationally.