Eat my dust

June 2005 et al. exhibits at the Venice Biennale.
“Is it worth being here? Without a shadow of a doubt.” Peter Biggs, Chairman of Creative NZ reporting from Venice. (read report here)

5 months

November 2005 CNZ commissions an $80,000 evaluation report from Sydney-based company SGS,on New Zealand’s participation in the Venice Biennale. (get report here)

7 months

May 2006 SGS’s Report is released and enthusiastically recommends continued New Zealand presence at Venice.

“This evaluation has provided both qualitative and quantitative evidence highlighting that the Venice investment is a worthwhile one.”

“New Zealand will return to the Venice Art Biennale in 2009 as part of a wider international market development strategy” CNZ Chief Executive Elizabeth Kerr (read full statement here)

5 months

October 2006 CNZ calls for nominations for the Tripofalifetime Tour. Selected representatives of the art world will be paid to visit art event hots spots in Europe and report back.

7 months

June 2007 The tripofalifetime tour visits Venice, Basel, Munster and Kasel.

2 months

August 2007 Tripofaliftimers tour members submit their reports to CNZ marked “Confidential”. “our International Market Development Strategy for the Visual Arts.… is to be finalised and presented to the Council of Creative New Zealand for approval at their December 2007 meeting” (CNZ email 26 July 2007)

4 months

December 2007 A discussion about “a strategy on International participation” including the Venice is “on the agenda” for the December meeting of CNZ’s Arts Council. (CNZ email 27 Nov ember 2007)

“Creative New Zealand is planning to release the “overarching Europe delegation report following the Council's December 2007 meeting” (CNZ email 27 November 2007) plus an “up-date regarding the visual arts international strategy” (CNZ email 28 November 2007)

1 month

January 2008 It is planned for CNZ’s new “International team” to be “up and running”.

However CNZ is “not expecting to present a final strategy to the Arts Council until the new International team is up and running.” (CNZ email 27 November 2007)

10 months

November 2008 Or sometime after the election. Our pick for a final decision.