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 AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.
PRELIMINARY REGISTRATIONS CLOSE 30th 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 5, 2025.
The 2025 Awards and Prizes
ADULT AWARDS
The NZ Rural Sculpture Award: $5,000 Participation is open to all sculptors. All works must be created using natural or manufactured materials—whether new or recycled—that have a direct association with farming or rural landscapes. Each sculpture must clearly embody the art form commonly referred to as farm art. At least 80 percent of the completed work must be constructed from recycled materials originating from items commonly used or found on farms.
The NZ Creative Cocky Sculpture Award: $2000 Participation is open to any working or retired farmer, rural contractor, small block holder, horticulturalist, or individual whose principal source of income, past or present, has been derived from land-based work.
The NZ Rural Sculpture Open Award: $2,000 This award is open to both established and emerging sculptors. Entries may be created in any medium using new materials or only minimal recycled content, provided they are suitable for outdoor exhibition. Works are not required to follow traditional interpretations of “farm art.” Only new, original pieces that have not been previously exhibited are eligible. All general entry conditions apply.
The NZ Rural Small Sculpture Award: $1000 Open to all sculptors. The work must not exceed 1 metre in any dimension.
The Local Yokel Sculptor Award: $1000 Eligibility for this award are restricted to entries submitted from within a 25km radius of Kimbolton. See map
Give it a go Sculpture 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. .
YOUTH AWARDS
Students are invited to select their own themes for their sculptures. Sculptures may be created using any materials of the student's choice and can be of any size.
Sculptures should be the children's work allowing for adult supervision.
Pre-School & Primary School student up to year 4 Group Sculpture Award: $100
Primary School Aged student years 5-8 Group Sculpture Award: $100
Individual Youth Awards
Primary School students years 0-4: $50
Primary School students years 5-8: $50
MERIT AWARDS:
Five $300 Merit Awards will be awarded by the judges across all adult and youth categories at their sole discretion.
Entry Fee:
Adults - $20 per sculpture. School students - Free
Sculpture Entries close March 20th 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 Primary School Aged Students.
Individual youth awards will be awarded in two categories. Youth awards are open to all schools or home schooled students within the Manawatu School District.
Youth not living within the Manawatu School District may enter the adult competitions.
Please note: You will receive a secondary form closer to the festival requesting a detailed description of each sculpture you are entering .
Local Yokel Sculptor Award 25km radius
Watch a video of local legend Pam Corpe
