Leading Philanthropist Jillian Friedlander’s Community-Driven Work Is Helping Accelerate Progress For Women In New Zealand

Jillian Friedlander, the creative director of the Friedlander Foundation, is a key figure in our local philanthropic scene and has lent her support to our local arts communities for more than two decades. Ahead of International Women’s Day this week, she unites with friend and collaborator Sarah Hutchings, director of Orsini Fine Jewellery, to host their annual event raising much-needed funding towards empowering women’s bodies and women in art.

Officially recognised by the United Nations in 1975, the role of International Woman’s Day has continued to evolve with the times, and while (like most days of note) it has in some areas fallen privy to the bastardisation of commerce, several organisations locally and internationally have continued to ensure the day is given the respect and recognition it deserves.

One example of this is a thoughtful partnership between prominent philanthropist Jillian Friedlander and businesswoman Sarah Hutchings, who play host on International Woman’s Day this Friday, March 8, with a long lunch aimed at raising much-needed funds for two organisations close to the duo’s hearts — The Arts Foundation Te Tumu Toi’s Springboard programme, and the Graci (Gynaecological Cancer Research and Clinical Innovation) Foundation.

As survivors of gynaecological cancer, Jillian and Sarah aim to raise awareness and provide a display of solidarity with this year’s United Nations Women theme for 2024: Count Her In: Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress.

“As of May 2023, a peer group discussion was published acknowledging gynaecological cancers make up around 10 per cent of all cancer diagnoses, among females in New Zealand,” explains Jillian, “with our Māori and Pacific wahine disproportionately affected. The awareness in this sector is growing with many worthy charities; though in an ideal world, I would like to see both breast cancer and gynaecological cancer organisations united, and share resources and knowledge for the end outcomes of the wellbeing of our bodies.”

Having hosted several other charity events in the past, Jillian and Sarah are looking forward to cementing their efforts with a long lunch at Parnell institution Non-Solo Pizza, featuring an impressive panel of speakers from the arts and creative industries.

Come Friday, guests can enjoy a three-course set menu and a glass of champagne while hearing the inspiring stories of some of Aoteraoa’s leading women in the creative industries — just one of the many celebrations being held in more than 80 countries worldwide to honour International Woman’s Day this year.

The line-up includes award-winning costume designer Ngila Dickson, whose pioneering work as one of the country’s first established fashion editors for Street Life and ChaCha magazines during the 80s and 90s has paved the way for many local fashion journalists; Leigh Melville, managing director of Art+Object; novelist Andrea Hotere; and writer, film-maker and musician Moana Ete, who was mentored by film-maker Niki Caro as part of an Arts Foundations Springboard initiative in 2020.

“All four women are incredible individuals sharing their creativity, experiences and their passions,” says Jillian. “I will not give too much away, because that is the delight of coming to our fundraiser. To listen to their stories, what it’s like being a woman in the arts, and how their journey continues. They will be giving candid conversations with the Arts Foundation’s general manager/kaiwhakahaere matua Jessica Palalagi, who will be the MC.”

By creating awareness for gynaecological cancer and women in arts across Aotearoa, Jillian says the event will have a ripple effect on society, partnering each year with a charity that will, in turn, provide much-needed support for the vision of The Arts Foundation and its long-term efforts — particularly with its Springboard initiative, which is a branch of the Arts Foundation that pairs established artists in a mentoring programme with younger, up-and-coming artists.

“At this level, the artist is at a formative stage of their career,” says Jillian. “As a community, we all get the opportunity to support, to be part of the artist’s journey. This year Sarah and I had discussions with Jo Blair of The Arts Foundation New Zealand to shine a light on the modality of literature for contributing to a Springboard artist recipient. We feel this will allow the process of fairness and equity to help support female literature for 2024.”

When it comes to progress for women in the arts in Aotearoa, Jillian acknowledges progress comes with an understanding of what has come before, growing up with strong foundations that have helped shape her passion for philanthropy and helping others.

“I am of six generations of mixed descent born in Waihōpai, and growing up in the Murihiku region,” says Jillian. “My backyard was a regular visit to family and friends on Stewart Island and up to Ōtepo. I was schooled at a country school in the Catlins. Art, music, and culture were part of my everyday life. As an adult, I can understand and appreciate that childhood upbringing with gratitude. As a Southerner, advocacy and giving back was part and parcel of our family and community values.”

Jillian continues, “This could be attributed to the pioneers of families past, the beautiful remoteness of the wild coastal region. Family members were part of community groups like the Freemasons, Lions, Women’s Division, Young Farmers, and Land Search and Rescue. There was always room for one extra potato in the pot, so to speak.

“Communities came together for bush picnics where there was music, dance, wood chopping, Jack and Jill saw races, gumboot throwing, possum skinning competitions and a shared hāngī. My marriage to an established philanthropic family has a longstanding record of supporting charitable initiatives within Auckland, the city they migrated to start anew.

It’s this community-driven sentiment that continues to drive her passion for women and creatives across the country, combining her resources and connections to help foster progress within these spaces — which includes backing a prestigious arts prize. Jillian, whose own lineal descendant is Ngāi Tahu, plays a pivotal part in ensuring indigenous and Pasifika arts continue to flourish.

“Through The Arts Foundation, I partnered to create the Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa Award as a Laureate Award, designed to acknowledge outstanding Māori and Pasifika creatives within the arts.”

Jillian identified a need for the $30,000 award, which anchors support for creatives in the Māori and Pasifika communities.

“This year, I would like to honour the following recipients for their contribution to arts and culture in Aotearoa — Ariana Tikao, Maisey Rika, Dr Areta Wilkinson, and Robert ‘Bob’ Jahnke.”

An international biennial artist residency, established in 2008, is another example of the philanthropic history that runs through Jillian’s family.

“As a family member of the Harriet Friedlander New York Residency — managed through The Arts Foundation — the late Harriet believed this residency provided the artist recipient an experience of New York (a city she adored) and an opportunity to discover and implement into their practice,” says Jillian.

For Sarah, learning and working with Jillian is an opportunity to align shared values. As the director of leading jewellery boutique Orsini, one particular inspiration for this year’s lunch has helped connect the dots and provides a global connection to the event.

“Our Italian jewellery brand Pomellato has a strong campaign every year for International Women’s Day and has a very strong link to the arts,” explains Sarah.

This year’s annual Pomellato for Women campaign, which will be unveiled for the first time at the lunch, addresses violence against women and features an assortment of high-profile advocates such as actors Jane Fonda and Jesse Williams and award-winning humanitarian worker Kulsum Shadab Wahab.

“Nearly one in three women globally face violence, often from male partners or family, impacting us all,” explains Sarah. “Pomellato for Women activists encourage us to be social sentinels, fighting violence against women.”

The combination of themes is diverse, but they’re singular in their vision to help lift up women, who remain a constant source of hope and inspiration in Jillian’s work.

“Now in my Midas years, my journey through life has led me to exchange, and become interwoven with many women,” says Jillian.

“The learnings we receive from our families like our mothers, grandmas, aunties and sisters help us navigate adolescence, and understand the naivety of our outlooks with both good and bad experiences. This helps develop us into how we wish to be as adults. To give our voices, to share our stories to be emotionally intelligent and not to be silent, yet listen with respect and compassion. Every woman is an inspiration in their journey and the collective thread we all share.”

The ‘An Ode to Women for The Arts-International Women’s Day 2024′ Italian long lunch at Non Solo Pizza with Jillian Friedlander and Orsini Fine Jewellery is $160 per person. Tickets are available to purchase from Iticket.co.nz. For more information about the event, visit Orsini Fine Jewellery.

More philanthropic reads

A closer look at social responsibility in action.

Meet the founder of Talk Peach, a Kiwi charity changing the health conversation. Did you know having a smear test will only detect cervical cancer when, in fact, there are four other types of gynaecological cancers?

Meet 11 inspiring New Zealanders opening up about their mental health challenges. A new exhibition, Behind the Smile, spotlights how creativity and culture can help healing.

Tattoo artist Mokonuiarangi Smith’s Specsavers collection is helping the vision-impaired across the Pacific. As part of the latest release from Specsavers in support of The Fred Hollows Foundation, the local tattoo artist is branching out into a unique eyewear range that will serve the wider Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa whānau.

Karen Walker’s latest collaboration with Rise Beyond The Reef is helping empower Fijian women in remote villages. The queen of partnerships adds a thoughtful union to her latest connection with social impact enterprise Rise Beyond The Reef.