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Arts and Media award winners announced
This year’s outstanding award recipients were officially revealed at the opening of the 2025 NMIT Bachelor of Arts and Media (BAM) end-of-year graduate exhibition.
The Impressions Award of Distinction was presented to two recipients, Delta Brewerton and Milly Reeve, whose works were highlighted for their technical proficiency, creative exploration, and professional polish.
The Jens Hansen Award of Excellence, presented to the top student for Level 7 Studio Practice, was awarded to Amanda Ledger.
Halfdan Hansen from Jens Hansen – Contemporary Gold & Silversmith – congratulated Amanda on receiving the award.
“Amanda’s work is imaginative, thoughtful, and beautifully made. It’s a real pleasure to recognise talent of this calibre, and we’re proud to support the next generation of makers and artists here in Nelson.”
The Nelson Suter Art Society (NSAS) Award of Distinction was awarded to Amy Adams, Amanda Ledger, and Echo Tang, who will each be invited to exhibit at the McKee Gallery in 2026 - an opportunity that provides valuable exposure at a pivotal stage in their artistic journeys.
NSAS judges praised this year’s recipients for their thoughtful and compelling approaches to contemporary subjects, noting the breadth of talent represented across the graduating class.
Tom Booker of NSAS said it was a pleasure to see the diverse collections of work.
“Choosing just three artists wasn't easy,” he said. “Honestly we could have picked a different three and still had a fantastic exhibition lined up for The Nelson Suter Art Society next year."
Amanda Ledger said she was overwhelmed and thrilled to receive both the Jens Hansen Award and the Nelson Suter Art Society Award.
“This year has been amazing, and I feel very lucky to have been part of such a supportive group of students,” she said.
“The course has been a good mix of input from the tutors, self-directed learning and peer critique and support, and I think these things enabled all of us to elevate our work and create a successful final exhibition. I am very grateful to Jens Hansen and The Nelson Suter Art Society for the awards and am excited to see what next year brings.”
Mark Baskett, NMIT Arts and Media tutor, says this year’s exhibition reflects the depth of learning and creative evolution the students have undergone.
“Our students have spent the last three years experimenting, questioning, and developing their work as artists and designers,” he says. “They’ve done well to really push themselves forward through this final year and we’re very proud of what they’ve achieved.”
The BAM graduate exhibition continues to be a highlight on the Nelson arts calendar, offering the community the chance to experience exciting new work from emerging creatives.
Find out more about NMIT’s Bachelor of Arts and Media programme.(external link)
