Jenny and Jim Stevenson, founders of Wellington Performing Arts Centre, have received an Absolutely Positive Wellingtonian Award.

Jenny and Jim Stevenson, founders of Wellington Performing Arts Centre, have received an Absolutely Positive Wellingtonian Award.

Absolutely Positive Wellingtonian awards are presented in recognition of long service to the city across a range of fields. Recent recipients include arts benefactors Denis and Verna Adam and leading art dealer Peter McLeavey, who has supported the work of many of New Zealand’s top artists.

The Stevensons saw the centre they founded, in a couple of rooms above a commercial building in Newtown, grow into a city centre institution which trained thousands of talented students.
 
Mayor Kerry Prendergast said: “For more than 21 years Wellington Performing Arts Centre has helped transform the lives of students, many of whom have gone on to build successful careers in the arts in New Zealand and abroad.
 
“The Centre has run NZQA-accredited courses and community courses. It has given countless Wellingtonians the chance to explore their talents, prepare for careers or just have a great time.
 
“This is down to the drive and determination of Jenny and Jim to create something special for this city. They are without doubt Absolutely Positive Wellingtonians.”
 
Jenny Stevenson, a former dancer and choreographer, founded the Centre in King Street, Newtown, in 1987 with husband Jim’s active support. As the centre grew they moved it to bigger premises in Allen Street, off Courtenay Place, then Vivian Street.
 
As well as teaching, the Centre has also launched touring productions, supported the Fringe Festival and Wellington City Council’s Dance Your Socks Off events and helped individual Wellington artists in many ways.
 
The Centre came under the control of Whitireia Community Polytechnic in December and is continuing the work of the previous two decades.