College of Creative Arts staff celebrate winning the supreme award at the 2018 Wellington Gold Awards with Wellington Central MP and Finance Minister Grant Robertson.
Massey University’s College of Creative Arts now has new accolades to add to its reputation for delivering premier creative arts education after winning the Supreme prize at the 2018 Wellington Gold Awards.
The supreme award that celebrates the best of the best of more than 50 nominated Wellington businesses followed the college’s win in the creative gold category, which recognises innovative creativity, at a glittering event in the city last night.
After being finalists on two previous occasions, the college Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Claire Robinson, and appropriately attired staff bedecked in various interpretations of the night’s gold theme, were ecstatic.
College of Creative Arts staff, many dressed in the event's gold theme, at the Gold Awards.
“It’s truly fantastic!” Professor Robinson told the audience of more than 900 guests at the TSB Arena.
After being momentarily lost for words Professor Robinson told guests the award is recognition of the dedication shown by college staff to fostering creativity locally to then be spread globally.
“Underpinned by a deeply held belief in the power of creativity to make positive change for people and for the planet, the college values its role in preparing its graduates for the future, not simply for employability and the development of new products, services and experiences, but for global citizenship and future leadership.”
Through its three schools, Nga Pae Mahutonga School of Design, Whiti o Rehua School of Art and Te Rewa o Puanga School of Music and Creative Media Production, the College provides a thriving, well-resourced and inspiring learning environment that fosters research, creative practice and scholarship.
Internationally the college’s reputation continues to grow.
- Last year the college’s School of Design was ranked number one the Asia Pacific region by global awards agency Red Dot.
- The college is ranked in the top 100 for art and design by World University QS subject rankings.
- Its animation programme offered at the School of Music and Creative Media Production is ranked in the top 100 in world according to AnimationCareerReview.com.
In 2017 staff and students won 12 gold, 16 silver and one purple pin in the Designers Institute of NZ Best Awards – the most of any tertiary provider in New Zealand.
With an annual turnover of $32 million, the College makes a significant contribution to the Wellington economy too and alongside its diverse offering of degrees is a significant partner in the greater Wellington region – something acknowledged by Wellington Gold Awards director John Dow.
"The place that Massey's College of Creative Arts has had in underpinning supporting and nurturing the significant foundation and lifeblood of our economy and our identity as a 'Creative Capital' community for an extended period of time has therefore been a key factor in the Award selection I believe."
The college is a founding partner of the annual LUX Light Festival that draws more than 100,000 visitors to the Wellington waterfront in winter; sponsors many film, game and book industry festivals; partners with the Wellington City Council to run Te Whare Hera International Artist Residency that brings overseas artists to live, work and exhibit in the city; has established a residency for Māori and Pasifika artists in partnership with the Governor General in the grounds of Government House and at national level continues to be a sponsor of the Designers Institute of New Zealand Best Awards and the Vodafone New Zealand Music Awards.
New music, recording and production studios on the Wellington campus are already booked for use by major New Zealand recording artists too.
In September the first intake of postgraduate students will arrive to begin study at the Weta Workshop School of Entertainment Design at Massey. This postgraduate degree, offered within the existing Master of Design, will engage directly with some of the industry’s finest concept designers based at Weta Workshop.
Professor Robinson says the creative gold win and the Supreme Gold victory were further evidence of the college’s vocational aspirations.
“We live our practice, our research, our citizenship and connectedness. This is evident in all that we do and how we work together.”
School of Design graduates from the college who now work at baby buggy company phil&teds were also among the winners in the Team Gold category.