Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award Ceremony
In 1997, to celebrate some recent street improvements, the Carrara Park Carnival moved to Riddiford Street. This was to be the first Newtown Street Fair, and it proved to be so popular members of the Newtown Residents Association quickly declared it an annual street event.
Thirteen years later, Newtown Festival is firmly established as a prominent multi-cultural celebration of food, music and local vibrancy that attracted 70,000 people this year.
Peter Frater, James Coyle, Anna Kemble Welch and Marin Hanley share a common vision that goes to the heart of community togetherness, creativity and collaboration.
On Thursday 24 May, Absolutely Positively Wellington recognised the achievements of four individuals, each with a connection to Victoria University, whose concerted efforts provide the Wellington City community the opportunity to celebrate together.
This award is a token of the City‘s gratitude for all the work that has gone into making this festival such a tremendous and popular event.
Peter Frater, founder and custodian of the festival, studied mathematics at Victoria in 1960. His studies lasted until he discovered that the Victoria campus included a theatre where he began his lifelong career in technical production. Peter retired from full involvement in organising the Newtown Festival in 2009.
Martin Hanley and Anna Kemble Welch also received recognition for their enthusiasm for community projects. Martin has been lecturing and teaching design studio part time at Victoria‘s School of Architecture since 2001. Anna graduated from the School in 1981.
Anna‘s and Martin‘s architectural practice Red Design has a focus on innovative unexpected occupancy and inhabitation of space and places in unintended ways. Their experimental project work deliberately extends and re-frames limits. Red Design‘s macro experimental works are the progressive ongoing annual re-inhabitation of key public space with performance, fair and carnival—assisting their local Newtown community to develop the regional festival and its satellite performance and art events.
James Coyle graduated from School of Architecture in 2006. As an undergraduate James, along with several other Newtown Festival crew, produced the legendary Architecture and Design Balls 2001—2004. This group also designed and erected the streetscape decoration for the Cuba Street Carnival 2004. James performs in The Nudge, Newtown Rocksteady, Jessie James and the Outlaws, and collaborates in Fly My Pretties IV. James began assisting with the Newtown Festival in 2007, and has been the musical programme co-ordinator of the Festival since 2009.