Rural New Zealand.
Tomorrow’s inspiration.
2025 is going to be bigger than ever, taking the little village to new levels of creativity.
And we want you to be a part of it, we invite you to make 2025 your year not just to be an observer, but a participant…..a maker of your own dreamt-up marvel.
Now you may think that’s for others, but creativity and making is part of human nature and this festival is a celebration of grabbing what’s at hand and having a go.
You could win $5000, you could walk away with the Creative Cocky Award or you could just have a heap of fun along the way.
So start dreaming, start plotting and most importantly, start making. The Kimbolton Sculpture Festival 2025 is an open door to creativity.
NZ RURAL SCULPTURE AWARDS
‘The Spirit of the Land’
YOU CAN REGISTER YOUR INTENTION TO ENTER A SCULPTURE AT ANY TIME BY FILLING OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM BELOW.
ENTRIES CLOSE 24TH MARCH 2025
The Kimbolton Arts and Sculpture Trust
invites entries to
the New Zealand Rural Sculpture Awards
to be awarded at the
Kimbolton Rural Sculpture Festival on April 4, 2025.
The 2025 Awards and Prizes
ADULT AWARDS
The NZ Rural Sculpture Award: $5,000 (non-acquisition award). Open to all sculptors. Sculptures should be constructed from natural or manufactured materials, whether new or recycled, associated with farming or rural landscapes. These sculptures should represent the art form “farm art”. The re-use of old machinery and equipment is encouraged.
The NZ Rural Sculpture Runner Up: $1000
The NZ Creative Cocky Sculpture Award: $2000 Open to all working or retired New Zealand farmers, rural contractors, small block holders, horticulturalists, or persons whose primary income or livelihood is or was from working the land.
The NZ Creative Cocky Runner Up: $500
The NZ Rural Sculpture Open Award: $2,000 Open to established and emerging sculptors. Sculptures can be made from any media suitable for outdoor exhibition and of a contemporary design that may not reflect “farm art”. Only new and original works not previously exhibited elsewhere will be eligible for entry. General conditions of entry apply.
The NZ Rural Sculpture Open Runner Up: $500
The NZ Rural Small Sculpture Award: $1000 Open to all sculptors. The work must not exceed 1 metre in any dimension.
The NZ Rural Small Sculpture Runner Up: $500
The Local Yokel Sculptor Award: $1000 Award is restricted to entries from within the 25km radius of Kimbolton. See map
The Local Yokel Runner Up: $550
Give it a go Award: $300 Merit prize. Open to novice sculptors who are new and inexperienced in sculpture creation. Entry is not eligible for any other awards. Free entry.
The People’s Choice Sculpture Award: $1000
Manufacturing and Engineering Sculpture Challenge: $500 The award is open to a combined team effort from manufacturing or engineering businesses. The criteria is unlimited and the sculpture can be made from any material. The sculptures will be judged by the festival judges and be auctioned during the festival with proceeds from the auction being split 50:50 between the trust and the team.
YOUTH AWARDS
Open to those aged 18 years and under. These categories are open to young persons who live or study within the Manawatu School District only. Sculptures should be the children's work allowing for adult supervision.
Pre-School & Primary School Aged Student Group Sculpture Award: $300
Individual Youth Awards 1st prize 2nd prize
Primary School Students Years 1-2 $200 $100
Primary School Students Years 3-5 $200 $100
Primary School Students Years 6-8 $200 $100
Secondary School Aged Students $350 $150
Lego masterpiece awards. Lego masterpiece entries must be wholly designed and constructed by the entrant. Kitset designed pieces will not be accepted.
Primary school students all ages $200 $100
Secondary school aged students $200 $100
Merit awards: $300. Five will be awarded by the judges across all adult and youth categories at their sole discretion.
Entry Fee: Adults - $20 per sculpture. Youth living in the Manawatu - Free
Entries close March 30 2025
OVERALL CRITERIA
The New Zealand Rural Sculpture Awards are awarded to sculptures which showcase and capture the essence of New Zealand’s rural landscape, its nature and communities. The work should reflect the resilience, heart, soul and humour of those who live, work and love this land.
Entrants are encouraged to give expression to their cultural heritage and their own experience and interpretation of ‘The Spirit of the Land’.
Sculptures are to be constructed from natural or manufactured materials, whether new or recycled, commonly associated with farming or rural landscapes. Sculptures are to exhibit originality, skill, imagination, ingenuity and resourcefulness in their construction.
Please note – entries are to be substantially the work of one person. Technical support can be provided to the artist/sculptor by others, but this must be explicitly noted by the entrant as part of their entry.
Group entries are invited from Pre-school & Primary School Aged Students.
Individual youth awards will be awarded in four categories. Youth awards are open to all schools or preschools or home schooled students within the Manawatu School District.
Lego masterpiece entries must be wholly designed and constructed by the entrant. Kitset designed pieces will not be accepted.
Youth not living within the Manawatu School District may enter the adult competitions.
Adult entries are 18 years plus.
Local Yokel Sculptor Award 25km radius
Watch a video of local legend Pam Corpe
