Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards
Celebrating more than a decade of recognising excellence in arts accessibility across Aotearoa.
About the awards
From 2007 to 2021, Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards celebrated individuals, organisations and initiatives increasing access to the arts across Aotearoa.
Originally established as the Big ‘A’ Awards, the programme later became the Arts Access Awards. It was renamed Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards in 2019, reflecting the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi to Arts Access Aotearoa’s kaupapa.
Over more than a decade, the national awards recognised leadership, accessibility, inclusion and artistic achievement across the arts, Deaf and disability communities, creative spaces, community arts and Arts in Corrections.
The awards are currently on hiatus
Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards have been on indefinite hiatus since 2022.
The national awards programme was paused to make way for Arts Access Aotearoa’s fellowships, which invest directly in artists and people developing projects that increase accessibility, participation and inclusion in the arts.
Learn about the Arts Access FellowshipsArts in Corrections Awards
Arts Access Aotearoa now also presents a separate Arts in Corrections Awards programme through its Arts in Corrections Network.
These awards are different from the corrections categories that formed part of Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards between 2007 and 2021. The newer awards recognise people supporting and delivering creative programmes within corrections environments at national, regional and local levels.
Explore the awards archive
Read about past recipients, award categories and celebrations from across the history of Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards.
2021 awards
Recipients from the final national awards event, held at Te Papa Tongarewa.
2020 awards
Recipients from the first online Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards.
Awards from 2014 to 2019
Explore annual award recipients and stories from this period.
Artistic Achievement recipients
Meet the artists recognised between 2012 and 2021.
A proud history
Highlights from the national awards programme include:
- The awards were introduced in 2007 as the Big ‘A’ Awards.
- In 2011, the event moved from Parliament’s Grand Hall to the Banquet Hall as attendance grew.
- The Arts Access Artistic Achievement Award was introduced in 2012.
- The first Arts Access Accolade was presented in 2014.
- The programme was renamed Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards in 2019.
- The awards were presented online for the first time in 2020 because of COVID-19 restrictions.
- The final national awards event was held at Te Papa Tongarewa in 2021.
- The programme was placed on hiatus in 2022, making way for the Arts Access Fellowships.
Accessibility
Arts Access Aotearoa provided accessible ways to enter the awards, including NZSL, Easy Read and audio submissions alongside written applications.
Funding partners
Over the years, Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards were supported by funding partners and award sponsors including Creative New Zealand, Holdsworth Trust and Ara Poutama Aotearoa Department of Corrections.
Our work continues
Although Te Putanga Toi Arts Access Awards are on hiatus, Arts Access Aotearoa continues to invest in artists, support accessible arts practice and recognise leadership within Arts in Corrections.
