Government funds NMITs new arts and media block

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT) will receive a capital injection of $8.132 million to build a new Arts and Media Block, Prime Minister Helen Clark and Associate Tertiary Education Minister Maryan Street announced today.

Speaking at NMIT’s Nelson campus, Helen Clark said that the new building will house NMIT’s new programmes in Arts and Media.

“These programmes extend the range of study options in visual arts and media, and will include Toi Maori, design, music, digital media, audio engineering, creative writing and most recently aspects of drama/performance,” Helen Clark said.

“This project is part of NMIT’s long term vision to modernise its Nelson campus. Last year saw the opening of the new Te Tari Maori teaching building and work on NMIT’s new tourism and hospitality block will be finished later this year.

“Although this new block is primarily for arts and media, the focus is on providing flexible-use buildings which can be used for a range of different activities and programmes. It will also provide a new entrance to NMIT.”

Helen Clark said that the capital injection was the latest Government investment in the ‘bricks and mortar’ of tertiary education around the country.

“Capital investments sit alongside major changes to how we fund other aspects of the tertiary education system. They show how committed the Labour-led Government is to the development of New Zealand’s knowledge economy and its economic transformation.”

Maryan Street said that NMIT is an important player in providing tertiary education in the Nelson/Marlborough region which helps people reach their full potential while also making sure that they are able to contribute fully to New Zealand’s ongoing prosperity.

“Institutes of technology and polytechnics play a key role in contributing to New Zealand’s prosperity by providing applied professional and vocational education of internationally competitive quality, and by attracting people to tertiary education who are currently not engaged or participating at a low level,” Maryan Street said.