Since 2017, Contemporary HUM has delivered in-depth coverage of Aotearoa New Zealand artists at La Biennale di Venezia. I have been a key contributor to this initiative, providing on-the-ground reporting and digital content creation for three editions: the 58th Biennale di Venezia (2019), the 59th Biennale di Venezia (2022), and the 60th Biennale di Venezia (2024). This live coverage has encompassed daily blog entries, video features, image libraries, and exclusive interviews with artists and arts practitioners presenting at the official New Zealand pavilion and in parallel events across the city.
My contributions
My contributions to the Venice Biennale media coverage include:
- Researching Biennale activities and uploading events to the online calendar, ensuring comprehensive and up-to-date information.
- Curating and editing visual resources (images and videos) for online platforms, newsletters and social media campaigns, maintaining clarity, accuracy and tonal consistency.
- Creating and managing diverse digital content, including daily blog posts and social media content, to engage audiences across various platforms.
- Conducting in-depth interviews with leading arts professionals including in 2019: artist Dane Mitchell and curatorial team Chris Sharp and Zara Stanhope; in 2022: artist Yuki Kihara and curatorial team Ioana Gordon-Smith and Natalie King; and in 2024: artists Areez Katki, Brett Graham, Caitlin Devoy, and Robert Jahnke as part of Contemporary HUM’s Crossing Currents podcast project.
- Developing and implementing communication strategies to maximise the reach and impact of the Biennale coverage.
- Coordinating meetings for Aotearoa arts professionals and donors, facilitating networking and community building.
- Liaising with media partners (Creative New Zealand and The Big Idea) and international arts organisations (Ocean Space, European Cultural Center) to build strategic partnerships and expand the project’s visibility.
- Preparing a successful partnership pitch to Creative New Zealand in 2024, securing funding and resources for the team’s travel and expanded coverage.
Project impact
Contemporary HUM’s coverage has been instrumental in recording and reporting on the activity of Aotearoa New Zealand artists at La Biennale di Venezia since 2017. Through exclusive interviews, in-depth articles and commissioned responses, this coverage addresses the lack of national arts media, offering valuable insights into Aotearoa artists’ projects to audiences in Aotearoa and significantly expanding the artists’ international visibility.
