A fascinating series of artist talks has been announced as part of the 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D public event programme.

Members of the public are invited to attend these free talks, which will be presented over the next two months by guest judge Deborah Crowe, artist and curator Jasmine Te Hira, and interdisciplinary artist Richard Maloy.

The new programming, made possible by a generous local sponsor, complements the 3D Award exhibition at Te Koputu a te whanga a Toi – Whakatane Library and Exhibition Centre.

Exhibition partners Whakatane Museum and Arts and Arts Whakatane, are proud to be able to bring some of New Zealand's leading artistic figures and contemporary arts discussion to Whakatane through these events.

First up is Guest Judge Deborah Crowe on Sunday. The well-established, multi-disciplinary artist will address the diversity of works on show in the exhibition, with special attention given to this year's winners.

She is an active researcher and arts professional and is particularly interested in the concepts and characteristics of space and structure.

Her work has been exhibited in a variety of art, design, and inter-disciplinary contexts, and is also held in significant international collections.

Deborah is an experienced speaker with a broad knowledge base. Her talk will be extremely informative for those wanting to learn more about the exhibition.

The gallery will also host a talk by Jasmine Te Hira on 3 March 3. Jasmine is a current judge for the 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D, previous joint Major Award Winner, and recent participant in the Creative New Zealand Pasifika Internship programme.

She produces installation and experience-based work, with a particular interest in embodied knowledge, the physical self, and space.

Her talk will include her thoughts on this year's MMCA exhibition and offer insights into her own work.

Invited artist Richard Maloy will wrap up the series of talks on April 7. Richard's practice spans sculpture, installation and other media, and deals with performance and process.

He has been involved in many local and international projects, including Art Basel Hong Kong and the Fulbright Scholarship, and is a current Fine Arts Lecturer.

His talk will focus on recent sculptural and installation projects undertaken by the artist in New Zealand and abroad; many of which involved cardboard and haphazard structures.

'This new programming expands the scope of the Molly Morpeth Canaday Awards and enhances the opportunity for creative discovery in Whakatane,” says Victoria Sinclair, Exhibitions Coordinator at Whakatane Museum and Arts.

'As a cultural institution, in partnership with Arts Whakatane, we are actively cultivating the creative process, sharing ideas with the community, and building bridges between artists and audiences.”

The Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D provides a look into the contemporary art scene across New Zealand.

The programme is made possible by enthusiastic community support, individual sponsors, volunteers, local businesses, and partner organisations.

The 2018 award is made possible by the generous support of the Molly Morpeth Canaday Trust.

More information on 2018 Molly Morpeth Canaday Award 3D events can be found on www.mollymorpethcanaday.co.nz.