ABOUT
Aotearoa Art Fair, New Zealand’s premier event for contemporary art, returns to Auckland’s Viaduct Events Centre, from 1 – 4 May 2025. One of the most significant art events in New Zealand’s cultural calendar, the Fair welcomes thousands of local and international visitors each year.
The Fair spotlights the breadth and diversity of contemporary art in our region, bringing together leading galleries from New Zealand and Australia to showcase a range of works by emerging and established artists.
Now under the ownership of the organisers of international art fairs: Sydney Contemporary, Art SG, Taipei Dangdai, and Tokyo Gendai, the Fair organisers leverage international expertise and their vast network of connections.
Whether you’re a seasoned collector, occasional buyer, or just curious about art, this is your opportunity to browse and buy from hundreds of works. From painting to sculpture, print to ceramics, there’s something for everyone at the Aotearoa Art Fair.
THE TEAM
Tim Etchells—
Owner
Tim Etchells has spent the last 30 years creating and managing Events and Fairs all over the world. From The Good Food Shows to London Fashion Week to Art HK, Tim has worked in numerous different industry sectors across different countries. In 2008 Tim developed the idea to stage Art HK which became the largest art fair in Asia, and is now under the ownership of MCH and renamed Art Basel Hong Kong. In 2013, Tim launched Sydney Contemporary. Tim’s art fair portfolio includes ART SG (Singapore), Taipei Dangdai (Taiwan) and Art Central (Hong Kong). In 2016 Tim received two separate Lifetime Achievement Awards from the UK Exhibition industry.
Jo Duncan—
CEO
Jo Duncan brings extensive experience to Aotearoa Art Fair from launching and working across a range of high-profile consumer events. Jo helped to successfully launch a range of events in new markets globally including the Good Food and Wine shows nationally across Australia and has worked on a range of other events across Australia, the UK and Asia including Sydney Contemporary, London Fashion Week, Melbourne Art Fair, Fashion Week Sydney, Taste of Sydney and Melbourne, the Affordable Art Fairs and Better Homes and Gardens Live. Jo oversees all operational, marketing and gallery needs for Aotearoa Art Fair.
Lyn Moran—
Finance Director
Lyn Moran joined Aotearoa Art Fair under the ownership of Art Fairs NZ. After graduating from the University of Georgia (USA), she spent 7 years traveling as Touring Company Manager for Australian children’s group, The Wiggles, before settling in Australia and working on the production side of several international TV programs, including The Amazing Race and The Real Housewives franchises, as well as on live events with IMG Australia and Single Market Events. Overseeing Sydney Contemporary as General Manager from 2018-2022, Lyn has now relocated to the US where she continues to lead on all financial and business matters on Sydney Contemporary and Aotearoa Art Fair.
Sue Waymouth—
Fair Director
Sue has held senior marketing roles in New Zealand and overseas including New Zealand Funds Management, Chase Bank (UK) and Alvern Media (UK). For the last decade, she has run her own marketing consultancy and has focused on supporting the arts. She has held governance roles as a Trustee of The Michael Hill Violin Competition and is the Co-Chair of the Contemporary Benefactors, a philanthropic tier of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. Alongside her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Commerce from Otago, Sue has recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Arts at Auckland University and is undertaking a Masters in Art History.
Kate Gillespie—
VIP Relations Manager
Kate became the Talks Program Coordinator for Aotearoa Art Fair in 2024 and has since transitioned into the role of VIP Relations Manager. After earning a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (Art History) from Otago University, Kate worked in investment banking and later as a buyer in the fashion industry. Over the past decade, she has managed her own property development and interior design business while also volunteering with the Red Cross on refugee resettlement. Additionally, Kate serves on the Contemporary Benefactors Advisory Committee, a philanthropic branch of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
Bonnie Lee—
Marketing Manager
Bonnie joined Aotearoa Art Fair in 2021 as Marketing Assistant and grew in her role as Marketing Manager in 2023. She concurrently works as the Marketing Executive for Sydney Contemporary and runs an online bookstore which aims to increase the visibility of arts publishing in New Zealand. Since completing her Fine Arts degree, Bonnie has held curatorial, administrative, and communication roles at various public galleries.
Lucy Gilfillan—
Operations Manager
Lucy brings a wealth of event management knowledge and experience from running high profile trade and consumer fairs, both within Aotearoa and around the globe for the past 20 years. After gaining a Bachelor of Design (Interior), she then moved to London where she managed large trade shows around the world, returning to Tamaki Makaurau 13 years later to continue running shows such as the Food Shows, Boat Show and many other well known consumer and trade events.
Madeleine Newman–
Fair Coordinator
Madeleine is a dynamic professional with expertise in visual arts, education, advertising, and community engagement. She holds a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) from The University of Auckland and a Bachelor of Graphic Design from Auckland University of Technology. Starting her career in advertising, Madeleine later transitioned to teaching art at prestigious Auckland secondary schools. Passionate about community involvement, she founded the Night of Art at Diocesan School for Girls, showcasing professional and emerging artists while raising funds for a school scholarship. Madeleine excels in leading creative projects and fostering meaningful connections within her community.
SELECTION COMMITTEE
Kim Paton–
Director, Objectspace
Kim Paton has been the Director of Objectspace since 2015. Her interest is in interdisciplinary exhibition making across the fields of craft, design, architecture and contemporary art. Paton has curated and written extensively on object-based art forms including the 2023 exhibition The Chair: A story of design and making in Aotearoa. Recent writing includes essays for Cheryl Lucas: Shaped by Schist and Scoria (Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, 2022) and David Straight: Locations of Interest (Objectspace, 2023). Paton is co-author up the upcoming book Hook Hand Heart Star: Warwick Freeman published by arnoldsche Art Publishers (2025).
Natasha Conland–
Senior Curator, Auckland Art Gallery
Natasha has over nineteen years’ experience developing exhibitions of contemporary art. She writes for a number of contemporary arts journals and catalogues in the Asia Pacific region and co-edits Reading Room, a peer-reviewed journal of contemporary art published annually by the E.H. McCormick Research Library, Auckland Art Gallery. She has diverse interests which have focused over this period on art in public space and the dissemination of the historic avant-garde.
Kate Darrow–
Curator, Public Art Projects
Kate is a Curator and Collection Manager at Waikato Hospital Art Trust, a position she has held since 2021. With nearly a decade of experience as an Independent Curator, Kate has worked on numerous public art projects. She previously chaired the Mesh Curatorial Board at Mesh Sculpture Hamilton (2010–2016) and served as Curatorial Advisor for the Brick Bay Sculpture Trail from 2005 to 2016. Early in her career, Kate was Project Manager at City Gallery Wellington, where she oversaw exhibitions such as Viva la Vida: The Art of Frida Kahlo and Parihaka: The Art of Passive Resistance. Kate is passionate about promoting contemporary art that connects with and inspires diverse audiences.