The Arts Foundation Icon Awards recognise distinguished artists for their contributions to New Zealand's arts and culture. At any one time, there are only 20 Arts Icons, and the medallion each recipient wears is imbued with the mana and mauri of the previous recipients.
Dame Patsy honoured five new Arts Icons at a Government House dinner: writers Bill Manhire and Albert Wendt, composer Gillian Whitehead, artist Billy Apple, and sculptor Fred Graham.
