The Federation of Australasian Brass Bands (FABB) is proud to announce the acceptance to the position of Patron by Adrienne, Lady Stewart.   

Adrienne, Lady Stewart is deeply involved in arts patronage in New Zealand. Born in Australia, Adrienne married Sir Robertson Stewart (CBE JSM) of Christchurch.   

For many years, she has quietly supported individuals and organisations throughout the country. Her sponsorships are often intensely personal and focused on ensuring that an individual is able to benefit from an opportunity or a career development at the time that it is happening.     

She was involved in industry and commerce for 40 years, becoming one of the country’s first women to be a public company director. Holding a number of important positions in both the Christchurch region and nationally, she is currently Governing Patron of the Art & Industry Biennial Trust, Chair of the Christchurch Symphony Foundation; a long-term judge of the NBR Awards for Sponsorship of the Arts; a member of the University of Canterbury College of Arts External Advisory Panel; and member of the Salvation Army Advisory Board and Christchurch Cathedral Foundation. She is a Canon Almoner, Patron of the Court Theatre, Hohepa Trust, the Sumner Lifeboat Inc and the Sumner/Ferrymead Foundation, and is Founding Patron of Raewyn Hill & Dancers.    

In 2009 she was awarded the NZ Arts Foundation Award for Patronage and the Zonta International Woman of the Bi-ennium.  

Chairman Rick Casagrande says, “FABB is extremely fortunate to have Lady Stewart consider Australasian banding worthy of her time and efforts and looks forward to working with her in an artistically rewarding relationship.”     

The lack of consistent funding from governments, grants and gambling trusts has left banding in the Australasian region struggling.    

FABB is looking forward to working with Lady Stewart towards raising the profile of banding communities of NZ and Australia with both the private and public funding sectors.