Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award

Criteria

The Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award is open to individuals who have made extraordinary, inspiring, and significant contributions to cultural endeavour over the course of their lifetime. Ideally, these individuals have also shared their knowledge and passion with the community, helping to inspire future generations.

Living Cultural Treasures are recognised for enriching the community with their exceptional skills and knowledge, which are considered an integral part of the community’s cultural heritage.

In special cases the Selection Panel may choose to grant the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award to someone residing outside of the district, provided that the service for which they are being recognised has been primarily carried out within Marlborough.

Background

This award was established in 2012 by Marlborough Museum in partnership with Marlborough District Council and The Marlborough Express. In 2024, council assumed guardianship of the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award with the support of the Economic, Finance and Community (EFC) Committee.

The Award is made to recipients who have demonstrated a lifetime of excellence in cultural endeavour and are a source of community inspiration.

The selection panel includes:

• The Mayor
• One community representative appointed by the Mayor
• One previous recipient of the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award. The longest serving Living Cultural Treasure will be invited, if they are not available then the order of service will be the order of invitation
• Marlborough District Council Libraries Manager
• An iwi representative nominated by Te Tau Ihu Chairs

Definitions

Living Cultural Treasures are persons who possess, to a very high degree, the knowledge and skills required for performing or recreating specific elements of living cultural heritage. Living Cultural Treasures enrich the community with skills and knowledge in an extraordinary and significant way.

Living cultural heritage consists of practices and expressions, as well as the knowledge, skills and values associated therewith, that communities and groups recognise as part of their cultural heritage.

Recognition and reward for appointees

The principal reward for a Living Cultural Treasure is public recognition. To ensure this, the honours are conferred at a formal ceremony presided over by the Mayor.

Nominations from the community

One award will be presented per mayoral term as follows:

• Call for nominations in November of the year preceding council elections
• Nominations close in January of the election year
• Selection Panel to meet in late February of the election year
• Award to presented in late March/early April of the election year

Who is not eligible

Previous recipients of the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award.

How to make a nomination

The selection panel depends on thorough information provided with each nomination. It is in the interest of each nominee that the information provided is of sufficient detail to enable the panel to consider each nomination. The information sought is not merely a list of positions held.

Nominations are open from 8.00 amFriday 29 November 2024, until 5.00 pm on Friday 24 January 2025. An online nomination form will be available on this page during those dates.

Alternatively, nomination forms will be available at the Marlborough District Council offices at 15 Seymour Square, Te Kahu o Waipuna, and the Picton Library. Completed forms must be returned in an envelope marked "Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award" and received by 5.00 pm on Friday 24 January 2025. Mail submissions should be addressed to:

The Marlborough District Council
Attention Nicola Neilson
PO Box 443
Blenheim 7240

For further information email nicola.neilson@marlborough.govt.nz

Recipients of the Marlborough Living Treasure Award

2023 Clarry Neame, artist

2019 Nan Kahu Chadwick, te reo Māori and kapa haka teacher

2018 Kevin Moseley, musician

2017 Margaret Bond, artist and weaver

2016 Fran Maguire, potter and Clem Mellish, Artist and bonecarver

2015 Triska Blumenfield, artist

2014 J S Parker, artist

2013 Joy Cowley, author and Duncan Whiting, producer-director

2012 Peg Moorhouse, weaver, inaugural recipient