News
Auckland Arts Festival announces 2013 Artistic Director
Chair, Victoria Carter, today announced the appointment of Carla van Zon as the Festival's next Artistic Director.
Ms van Zon will take up her new role in late March 2011, and
will develop the programme for the 2013 Festival and beyond.
"Carla brings a wealth of experience and skill, and strong
connections with arts practitioners and performers, to Auckland
Arts Festival," said Victoria Carter."
Her experience includes three years leading Creative New
Zealand's International team, which has strengthened her
connections with arts groups in Asia and the Pacific Rim, and six
years as Artistic Director of the NZ International Arts Festival.
"The calibre of the candidates for the Artistic Director position
was extremely high, including several very good overseas
applicants, and reflects the excellent international reputation
that Auckland Arts Festival enjoys. "Outgoing Artistic
Director David Malacari will leave the Festival in a strong place
after putting together three fantastic Festival programmes for
Auckland, and leading the organization as both Artistic Director
and Chief Executive for four years."
Carla van Zon, who grew up in West Auckland, said she was
looking forward to building on the successes of Auckland Arts
Festival and to working with Aucklanders to further develop a
festival that reflected the newly amalgamated Auckland, and the
city's place in the Asia Pacific region. "I'm really looking
forward to returning to Auckland - my home town - and am excited to
be taking this terrific festival into the future. David Malacari
has done great things for Auckland Art Festival, not least his
exceptional 2011 programme," she said.
BIOGRAPHY
Carla van Zon joined Creative New Zealand, the Arts Council of
New Zealand Toi Aotearoa, in January 2008 to manage and lead the
newly formed international team.
In her role as Manager International, she oversaw the
development of an international strategy, and from this has
developed an international programme, the goal of which is to
assist New Zealand artists gain international success. She
and her team manage projects as diverse as New Zealand's presence
at the Venice Biennale to welcoming international presenters to see
work and meet artists in their home context.
Previously Carla was the Artistic Director of the New Zealand
International Arts Festival. Involved in the Festival since 1989,
Carla took on the role of Artistic Director, in April 2000 having
successfully led the Festival as Executive Director since 1996.
The 1996, 1998 and 2000 Festivals thrived with Carla in the role
of Executive Director when she led it into the black for the first
time, earning the Festival the Dominion Gold Award 2001 for
outstanding contribution to the Wellington economy.
An Aucklander born and bred, Carla has an MA in Dance and Arts
Administration from George Washington University in the USA and a
broad range of professional experience in the arts, including
working with a variety of theatre and dance companies such as Taiao
and Douglas Wright Dance Company, the Aotea Centre, the New Zealand
Film Commission, producing new New Zealand work and Co-Directing
the New Caledonia New Zealand Season in 2007 for the Governments of
New Caledonia and France.
She has travelled widely throughout the world and is passionate
about arts and cultural exchange as a way of gaining greater
understanding between people.
She was made an Officer of the Order of New Zealand for services
to the arts in 2001.