Meet Sue Paterson, Senior New Zealander of the Year
<p><em><strong><img width="109" height="164" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34504/sue-paterson-headshot_109x164.jpg" alt="Sue Paterson Headshot" style="float: left;"/>Sue Paterson, 63, is the recipient of the Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year 2017. She has dedicated her career to the arts, working around the world to foster the dance and performing arts. In her senior years, she is as passionate as ever about supporting the industry. </strong></em></p>
<p>For me, receiving the Metlifecare Senior New Zealander of the Year award was a humbling and exciting experience. </p>
<p>I’m honoured to have been selected for the award and recognised for my contribution to the arts. It was wonderful to see fellow recipient, Taika Waititi, also part of the arts industry, receive the New Zealander of the Year Award. </p>
<p>I have been passionate about the arts since I was a child, but my career began in the 1970s, working for the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust as an Arts Administrator.</p>
<p>It was a very exciting time in the arts and performance industry. We presented international companies throughout Australia and reinvested the money in the Australian arts scene. It was during Gough Whitlam’s priministerial term, that saw the performing arts industry take off in Australia.</p>
<p>My passion ignited for the New Zealand dance industry while holidaying back home, en route to New York. I saw Limbs Dance Company for the first time and I was absolutely blown away with how good they were. Deciding to stay, I started taking dance classes and it wasn’t long before I was asked to take up the General Manager position.</p>
<p><img width="450" height="278" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34509/sue-and-limbs-dance-company_450x278.jpg" alt="Sue And Limbs Dance Company" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p>
<p>The Limbs Dance Company was touring internationally every year, allowing us to experience dance from cultures all around the world. The South Pacific Arts festival was particularly inspiring; It was eye-opening, changing how we felt about being New Zealanders, as part of the Pacific.</p>
<p>In 1999 I joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet as General Manager. We were working hard to change attitudes towards ballet, tripling our audience base. We completely turned the company around financially, and I was very proud to leave the company with money in the bank.</p>
<p>When I moved on from the Royal New Zealand Ballet, I set my sights on the New Zealand Festival. In my role as Executive Director I produced four Festivals, as well as four Lexus Song Quests, five Wellington Jazz Festivals and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, over the past eight years.</p>
<p>As I’m moving into my senior years and taking a step back from the New Zealand Festival, I’ll still be supporting the arts as much as possible.</p>
<p><img width="293" height="423" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/34511/sue-receives-onzm_293x423.jpg" alt="Sue Receives ONZM" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/></p>
<p>I’m loving this time of my life, I’m exploring new opportunities taking up governance roles with the Wellington Zoo Trust and the Wellington Free Ambulance. I am surrounded by friends and colleagues who are seniors that have huge amounts of energy and are willing to freely share their time and advice.</p>
<p>So many of my fellow seniors are involved in the industry and the New Zealand Festival’s Culture Club. Arts organisations need to be more savvy about how they work with seniors and the talents they have to offer – we play a very important role in the community!</p>
<p>Along with passing on our knowledge and passion, we are inspiring the next generation of arts lovers. I love it when I see grandparents bringing along their grandchildren to performances.</p>
<p>I hope to encourage all New Zealanders of all ages to experience and enjoy the arts, whether they are performing or watching.</p>
<p><em>Metlifecare retirement village operator is proud to celebrate seniors and the unique contribution they make to their communities by supporting the Senior New Zealander of the Year Award.</em></p>
