Attingham Summer School 2016
Expressions of interest are now invited from New Zealand arts and heritage
professionals to attend the Attingham Summer School in 2016.
Mid-career arts, heritage and decorative arts professionals who wish to attend the prestigious
Attingham Trust Summer School in England and participate in its exclusive three-week study course
are invited to send in details by 28 January 2016.
Background
New Zealand financier, art connoisseur and heritage advocate, Errol Clark, created a remarkable
opportunity to expand New Zealand's knowledge of built-heritage and decorative arts with the
establishment of The Clark Collection Scholarship in 2003. This has enabled one New Zealander to
attend the prestigious Attingham Trust Summer School in England and participate in its exclusive
three-week study course.
Citing his reasons behind the scholarship, Mr. Clark notes, "New Zealand's built and environmental
heritage has, over a long period, been subject to an inadequate application of resources, both human
and financial". Mr. Clark sees the programme assisting New Zealand to "advance overall levels of
competence, knowledge and sector best practice in the decorative arts and built heritage". For that
reason, he has negotiated a unique arrangement with the Attingham Trust whereby one New
Zealander is admitted to the programme each year.
In 2016, The Clark Collection Scholarship will cover admission and fees for the Attingham
Summer School. It does not cover travel to/from the UK or accommodation outside the
course period.The successful candidate will need to secure other funding for all associated
costs. This could be via their employer, another charitable source, or private funding.
Attingham Summer School
The Attingham Summer School is an intensive programme for the study of historic country houses
and their collections, based in three different centres throughout the United Kingdom. The School
offers a unique opportunity for participants to become acquainted with the history, architecture,
contents and context of historic buildings and their gardens and estates.
It examines how they are managed and explores contemporary challenges for display, access,
conservation and interpretation. It is regarded as the leading study opportunity of its type anywhere
in the world. Each year, 48 people from around the world participate in the School. Around thirty
country houses are visited and renowned tutors lead discussions on heritage conservation and
interpretation and the decorative arts. Today, alumni from the Attingham programme are the leaders
of major heritage agencies and art museums throughout the world. For details of the Summer School
see www.attinghamtrust.org.
Museums Aotearoa
Level 8, 104 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
PO Box 10-928, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, Aotearoa, New Zealand
telephone: (64 4) 499 1313 fax: (64 4) 499 6313
email: mail@museums-aotearoa.org.nz
web: www.museums-aotearoa.org.nz
December 2015
Past Scholars
The first recipient of The Clark Collection Scholarship in 2003 was David Reynolds of the Historic
Places Trust. David reported that the experience, “opens the door to an extraordinary encounter with
the great architecture and great collections of the English country house, through attendance at the
Attingham Summer School… Demanding and intense, varied and stimulating from the start, the
experience is one that has significantly enriched my appreciation and understanding of English
architectural and decorative arts traditions and their influences on New Zealand.”
Since then, Louis le Vaillant of Auckland War Memorial Museum (2004), Angela Lassig of Te Papa
(2005), Robyn Notman of Dunedin Public Art Gallery (2006), Claire Regnault of TheNewDowse
(2007), Priscilla Pitts of Historic Places Trust (2008), Josephine Hughes of Hawke's Bay Museum and
Art Gallery (2009), Justine Olsen of Te Papa (2010) and Greg Donson of the Sarjeant Gallery (2012)
have been awarded The Clark Collection / Creative NZ Scholarship. Greg Donson acknowledged
that this was, "an unparalleled opportunity to be immersed in the wonderful world of decorative arts
and built heritage in the UK. … it provided me with the most intensive period of learning that I have
had since my time at University."
Eligibility
Expressions of interest are invited from individuals who are normally resident in New Zealand or are,
for the time being, temporarily residing overseas but will return in the near future. Interested
individuals should be full-time employees of an organisation working in the heritage, art or museums
sectors.
Expressions of Interest are now invited – forms and conditions are downloadable from the
Museums Aotearoa website: www.museumsaotearoa.org.nz.
APPLICATIONS ARE DUE 28 JANUARY 2016.
Contact
Phillipa Tocker
Executive Director
Museums Aotearoa Te Tari o Nga Whare Taonga o te Motu
PO Box 10-928, Wellington 6143
tel: (04) 499 1313
fax: (04) 499 6313
email: phillipa.tocker@museumsaotearoa.org.nz
Museums Aotearoa
Level 8, 104 The Terrace, Wellington 6011
PO Box 10-928, The Terrace, Wellington 6143, Aotearoa, New Zealand
telephone: (64 4) 499 1313 fax: (64 4) 499 6313
email: mail@museums-aotearoa.org.nz
web: www.museums-aotearoa.org.nz
December 2015