CNZ Arts Council and Board appointments

Appointments to Creative New Zealand Arts Council

Academic and historian Professor John Davidson has been appointed to the board of the Creative New Zealand Arts Council of New Zealand, and Alastair Carruthers has been re-appointed as chair of the council, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Arts Council is responsible for overall policy development for Creative New Zealand, which operates at arm's length from government in encouraging, promoting and supporting the arts in New Zealand.

“I appreciate that Alastair Carruthers has agreed to remain as chair of the council during a time of proposed legislative change to the governance structure of Creative New Zealand,” Mr Finlayson said. “I am also delighted that Creative New Zealand will have the considerable talents of Professor Davidson, who has been one of our leading academics. Professor Davidson replaces actor and writer Oscar Kightley, whom I thank for his contribution as a council member”. 

Alastair Carruthers is the Chief Executive of a major New Zealand law firm, Chapman Tripp Barristers and Solicitors, based in Wellington and Auckland.   He has strategic business skills and experience in musical performance and governance.   He is a former trustee of the New Zealand String Quartet Trust and   was appointed as chair of the Arts Council in 2007.

Emeritus Professor Dr John Davidson, was until recently, Head of School, Art History, Classic and Religious Studies at Victoria University Wellington.  He has had a long career in academic work and research. Professor Davidson is a member of a number of professional organisations including being President of the Australasian Society of Classical Studies.

Appointments to Creative New Zealand Arts Board

Artist and advocate Anne Rush and the former chair of the Whitirea Community Law Centre Jocelyn Afford have been appointed as members of the Creative New Zealand Arts Board, and current chair of the board Alan Sorrell has been re-appointed, Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson announced today.

The Arts Board is responsible for encouraging, promoting, and supporting the development of the arts in New Zealand, including those of the Pacific Islands’ peoples and the diverse cultures of New Zealand through the allocation of funding to artists, arts organisations and arts projects.

“I welcome Jocelyn Afford to the Arts Board where her extensive arts interests and previous experience as a Radio New Zealand Board member will be particularly welcome at a time of proposed legislative change,” Mr Finlayson said. “I am pleased also that Alan Sorrell has agreed to reappointment as chair and that Anne Rush has accepted a joint appointment to both the Arts Board and the Arts Council of Creative New Zealand.”

Jocelyn Afford of Wellington has a wide range of legal experience and most recently was responsible for the financial management of a barrister’s practice and of a property company. She has extensive arts interests and governance experience, having previously been a Radio New Zealand board member and secretary of the New Zealand Apple and Pear Board’s regulatory authority.

Anne Rush has extensive experience as an advocate, in the preparation and presentation of concept papers to trustees, conferences, seminars, Government (including caucus) select committees, local government forums, and annual and strategic plans in both their oral and written forms. She is co-founder of the Nelson Bays Arts Marketing Network.  She has been a member of the Creative New Zealand Arts Council since 2009.

Alan Sorrell has legal skills as a barrister specialising in commercial litigation, intellectual property, copyright, media and entertainment fields, and contractual disputes. His background is as a very experienced public and private sector governor.  Mr Sorrell was a member of the New Zealand Film Commission Board from 1993 – 2002 during which time he was the chair from 1996 – 2002.  He became the chair of the Creative New Zealand Arts Board in 2007.

The Government introduced the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Aotearoa Bill into Parliament last month. It is intended to streamline Creative New Zealand’s four governing bodies – including the Arts Board - into a single board to reduce complexity and improve its effectiveness.

Media Statement: Hon Christopher Finlayson, Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage