Kids’ Art Event Awards

Wednesday 22 June 2005

• The theme this year is "My World" – the children were asked to look at their identity, their world, and how they feel they fit in that world.
• The theme has produced some amazing results, as you will see today.
• The questions of "My World" are questions that we should keep asking ourselves as we go through our lives. We all need to have some idea of where we fit in the world.
• Have always liked the idea of the South American city of Kuritiba, where they decided they wanted a city where every child felt loved and safe.
• To that I would like to add the hope that we can be a city where every child can nurture the artist within themselves throughout their lives.
• I do not know why we have this idea that creative people are delicate or somehow different. The reality is that to share your vision of the world is the way of strength. Artists are tough.
• It is one of those sad facts that at kindy age, just about every child is an artist, but by high school very few are still doing anything artistic at all.
• The adult world has some serious questions to answer here. What are we as adults doing to nurture these fresh eyes and minds?  
• The good news is that Christchurch now has this wonderful gallery, and we are finally getting better about showing art the respect and interest that it really deserves.