From North & South, January 2010

Throughout the past 12 months, the North & South selection panel of writers and key contributors has been on the look-out for New Zealanders who’ve made this year theirs. From these, true local hero’s emerge.

Fiona Campbell

The recent publication of Real Art Roadshow: The Book (Craig Potton Publishing) marks the success of a mobile art project that has toured works by leading Kiwi artists to over 200 schools nationwide since 2007 – satisfyingly defying the Ministry of Education bureaucrats who initially pooh-poohed the fully funded initiative. Inspired by her fond memory of a school visit from New Zealand Symphony Orchestra percussionist Gary Brain, art curator Fiona Campbell personally funded the Real Art Roadshow so our senior school students could gain an appreciation of art from seeing the real thing, rather than a reproduction in a book or on a website. Each of two purpose built trucks converts into a 78sq m art gallery, showcasing the hand-picked collections of 126 post-1945 paintings, drawings, sculpture, photography, jewellery and ceramic art. There are also engaging educational resources to accompany the show. The cost to schools? Exactly nothing.