An iconic celebration of Kiwi creativity and ingenuity is set to return to Fieldays in 2027, with the Fieldays No. 8 Wire National Art Award making its comeback, delivered by Copper Mesh Creatives. 

Last held in 2023, the Award is being reimagined for a new chapter, marking 30 years since its debut, with Waikato artist Caroline Peacocke working alongside Fieldays to help bring it back to life. 

For Peacocke, the revival of the Award reflects the same spirit of innovation that sits at the heart of Fieldays, celebrating both New Zealand’s creative talent and the resourcefulness that no. 8 wire has come to represent. 

“Bringing the No. 8 Wire National Art Award back to Fieldays is incredibly exciting. It’s a competition with a proud history, and I’m looking forward to being part of its next chapter, reconnecting with the artists, supporters and communities that have helped shape its legacy, and inspiring new entrants to take part.” 

Established by the New Zealand National Fieldays Society in 1997, the Fieldays No. 8 Wire National Art Award celebrates the creative possibilities of a material long associated with New Zealand’s rural history and inventive problem-solving, challenging artists to transform everyday no. 8 wire into something entirely unexpected. 

It’s the creative challenge at the core of the Award that Peacocke believes makes it so special. 

“While no. 8 wire has its roots in New Zealand’s farming heritage, this Award is about showing just how far creative thinking can take a familiar material. I love seeing the unexpected ways artists work with it, and it’s exciting to once again give Fieldays visitors the opportunity to experience the talent, creativity and ingenuity that have made the Award such a memorable part of the event.” 

Rather than simply reinstating the Award as it was, Fieldays is using its return as an opportunity to build renewed energy around it and introduce it to a new generation of artists and audiences. 

The Award will form part of the Fieldays Creative Space, which launched in 2026 and continues to evolve as a platform for creativity and New Zealand talent at the event. 

Karina Missen, Fieldays Event Producer, shares that “bringing the No. 8 Wire National Art Award back feels like a natural fit. As we continue to grow Creative Space, we want it to be a place where people can discover New Zealand talent whilst experiencing another side of what Fieldays represents.” 

With its roots firmly in rural New Zealand but an appeal that extends well beyond it, the revitalised Award also provides an opportunity to bring different communities together. 

Fieldays hopes its return will encourage entries from established and emerging artists from across New Zealand, each bringing their own interpretation to a material traditionally associated with farming and rural life. 

Finalist artworks will be displayed at Fieldays 2027, giving the artists and their work the opportunity to be seen by a broad Fieldays audience and providing another way for visitors to experience New Zealand creativity at the event. 

While the full details of the 2027 Award are still to come, Peacocke is already looking forward to seeing what New Zealand’s creative community can do with the challenge. 

“My challenge to artists is to be curious and see where the material takes them. Experiment, take risks and explore ideas that might not have an obvious outcome. I'd love to see work that surprises people, rewards a closer look and makes visitors see no. 8 wire in a completely new way.” 

Further details about the Fieldays No. 8 Wire National Art Award, including how artists can get involved, will be shared at a later date. Those who are passionate about the Award and interested in supporting or being part of its return are encouraged to get in touch with Caroline Peacocke. 

CONTACT  
Caroline Peacocke | Creative Consultant 
T +64 7 843 4497 | E creative@fieldays.co.nz