Westpac New Zealand Arts Awards Recipients Announced

Charles Koroneho - Choreographer/Director/Public Artist/Designer, 2014 Arts Foundation Laureate (Dance)

The Arts Foundation of New Zealand has announced Charles Koroneho as a Dance Laureate. Laureate Award recipients receive a cash donation of $50,000.The 2014 Westpac New Zealand Arts Awards marked over $4.8million in philanthropic donations made to 167 New Zealand artists since the Foundation's inception.

Charles Koroneho works at the intersection between choreography, theatre, visual arts and design. He is a graduate of the New Zealand School of Dance and Elam School of Fine Arts. He has performed extensively in New Zealand and abroad with Te Toki Haruru, Lemi Ponifasio MAU, The Royal New Zealand Ballet and many others. 

Currently in Athens with MAU, he will be performing at the Onassis Cultural Centre. On his return to New Zealand he will begin the process of creating his new work Tua o Te Arai. We will also get to see him with the premiere of I AM for the Auckland Arts Festival in March with MAU.

Read a full biography on Charles Koroneho.

The Laureate Award is an investment in excellence across a range of art forms for an artist with prominence and outstanding potential for future growth. Their work is rich but their richest work still lies ahead of them. The Award recognises a moment in the artists' career that will allow them to have their next great success. 

The Laureate Awards are presented to five artists annually.  Each recipient receives $50,000 in recognition of their achievement and as a challenge for them to continue working at high levels.  

Past Dance Laureates:

• 2000 - Douglas Wright (Choreographer)
• 2002 - Shona McCullagh (Choreographer/Dance Filmmaker)
• 2005 - Neil Ieremia (Director/Choreographer)
• 2007 - Sarah Jayne-Howard (Dancer)
• 2010 - Michael Parmenter (Dancer/Choreographer/Teacher)
• 2011 - Lemi Ponafasio (Choreographer/Theatre Director)