About us:
Rob Garrett Contemporary Fine Art is a consultancy company committed to arts development, excellence in the visual arts, and the support of artists, arts organisations, arts lovers and others who service or support the arts. Our consultancy work includes:
- Arts policy and strategy evaluation and development for city administrations
- Public art programme and project advice
- PR-Media strategy and planning for artists, galleries and other arts organisations
- International relationship and project brokering for curators and arts organisations
- Curatorial services for artists, galleries and other organisations
- Art project management
- Personalised career development workshops for artists
- 1-on-1 business strategy consultations for artists and galleries
Recent projects include:
- Review of the public art activity of Auckland City Council, leading to the establishment of a new dedicated public art team (including a new Manager Public Art position; applications closed 2 December 2007; appointment pending)
- Curator for the biennial New Zealand Sculpture OnShore 2008 outdoor sculpture exhibition to raise funds for Women’s’ Refuge
- Project managed New Zealand’s (unofficial) presentation at the 52nd Venice Biennale of Contemporary Art: Speculation a book of 30 artists selected by 8 curators
- Advice on public art site interpretation and artist selection for Auckland City Council’s Beach Road upgrade
- PR-Media strategy for One Day Sculpture, a nationwide programme of brief commissioned art projects across nine institutions and over a 15 month period, for Litmus: A School of Fine Arts research initiative of Massey University, Wellington
- Securing Matthew Collings as guest speaker for the Auckland Art Fair 2007, VIP programme
- Symposium chair and speaker for Grand Tour 2007 Contemporary Art Forum hosted by St Paul St Gallery AUT and the Goethe-Institut, 16 November 2007 (view the flier here)
We are known for our informed, up-to-date impartial insights through our work with artists and other clients, our research and art writing. Click through to recent articles on:
Director Rob Garrett is sought after as an inspiring, informed and pragmatic speaker on arts career development and arts strategy; he is also a skilled and engaging Forum Chair. Our Company hosts and facilitates discussion and networking opportunities through special events such as Artists' Forums. We specialise in arts-led projects and programmes; and we are skilled in bringing arts and other organisations together in visionary and pragmatic partnerships. We have dynamic arts networks throughout New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
What others say:
Your contribution was brilliant - it just brought the threads of the day together. The international connection was really helpful - it was a bit like linking to a satellite to see where you stand.
Our Director:
Rob Garrett has more than 30 years experience in the arts. He recently led Auckland City Council’s public art review; and project managed New Zealand’s (unofficial) Project for the 52nd Venice Biennale: Speculation, a book of 30 New Zealand artists selected by 8 curators published by Venice Project, Aotearoa New Zealand and JRP|Ringier. Previously he was a senior manager with Creative New Zealand, New Zealand’s Arts Council, where he led New Zealand’s 2005 Venice Biennale project, and prior to that he was a member of the Arts Council’s governing body. He was Head of the Dunedin School of Art through the 1990s where he founded the contemporary art theory programme and its international artist residency programme, Artists at Work. While in New Zealand’s South Island Rob also founded a boutique biennial Arts Festival in the city of Dunedin. He has published many articles, reviews and catalogue essays on contemporary art. Rob also trained as an artist and has a fine arts degree from Elam School of Fine Arts, Auckland University, and a post-graduate degree in Art History from Otago University. He has a long background in teaching, arts advocacy, arts development, and art writing.
Our clients and collaborators include:
Auckland City Council Arts Community and Recreation Arts Policy, Auckland Arts Regional Trust and The Big Idea Trust (the ART Venture Programme), Artspace Auckland (NZ Venice Project Speculation, 2007), Auckland Art Fair Trust, LITMUS Research Initiative (Massey University School of Fine Arts), Britomart, Auckland Festival Trust, New Zealand Sculpture OnShore 2008, Auckland City Council Strategic Development, Art+Object Auction House, Chartwell Trust, Art Fairs International, New Zealand Post Group, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic School of Education & Humanities, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec) Department of Media Arts, Wellington Institute of Technology (Weltec) Centre for Creative Industries, Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust, Standing Ovation, Enjoy Public Art Gallery Wellington, St Paul Street Gallery AUT Auckland, Artlink Australia and Art News New Zealand. |
