KEY POINTS:
The Arts Foundation of New Zealand Award for Patronage 2007 was presented on Tuesday night at the Auckland Art Gallery to philanthropist and art collector Jenny Gibbs.
Gibbs matched the foundation's $20,000 award and then allocated $10,000 each to four artists/groups she felt fell through the funding gaps _ the NZ Opera School, Auckland Writers and Readers Festival, Karangahape Rd art gallery Artspace and local artist Gretchen Albrecht, Gibbs' friend.
Witi Ihimaera gave an entertaining speech with plenty of little-known anecdotes about Gibbs, including the time two Arab gentlemen wanted to buy her daughter, and the time she managed to lure a plane back from the runway to pick her up.
He described her as having Bette Davis' eyes and mentioned that she made delicious ribs.
At the end of the formalities guests were treated to a performance by soprano Morag Atchison and tenor Derek Hill from the NBR New Zealand Opera, singing a duet from Lucia di Lammermoor, a Donizetti opera.
This is the second year the Arts Foundation has made the award.
Last year it went to Dennis and Verna Adams.
- Flash, NZHERALD
