Friday, February 22, 2008
Good evening everyone. It gives me pleasure to welcome you to Hutt City and The New Dowse for the opening of the Shape-shifter exhibition.
Hutt City Council is proud to partner with the Rotary Club of Hutt City and The New Dowse to host a key event of the 2008 New Zealand International Arts Festival.
The New Dowse enjoys a reputation as New Zealand's most innovative art museum.
It is therefore appropriate that it is here that we celebrate this opening of work by some of New Zealand's most innovative artists.
This is the third time Hutt City has hosted Shape-shifter but the first to be held across the road at the Civic Gardens.
Like previous years, it will draw visitors to Hutt City and create interest in art. We see Shape-shifter as a vibrant part of Hutt City's vision to increase the visibility and accessibility of art in the public arena.
I want to thank principal sponsor John Bank and the many other sponsors for their support of Shape-shifter.
I also want to thank the artists for sharing their exciting and stimulating work with us.
I am very honoured to be playing a part in opening the Shape-shifter exhibition and wish everyone involved success with it.
Thank you.