Our Aims
What does FASNZ aim to achieve?
The Aims of the Society are:
- To encourage, stimulate and promote participation in the art of floral design and to appreciate its cultural value.
- To develop and facilitate education, to provide suitable publications and to present exhibitions.
- To cultivate the art of designing with plant material as a recreational and social activity and to inspire environmental awareness and conservation of indigenous flora.
- To liaise and co-operate with allied organisations.
To achieve these objectives there is primarily an organisation of Areas (14 throughout New Zealand), each having a minimum of three clubs in each Area. There are currently 70 Clubs affiliated to FASNZ. The management of these Areas and Clubs is by the FASNZ Management Board which consists of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Education Committee Chair and four elected members. (The elected members may also be Area Representatives). If you wish to locate a floral art club in your vicinity, please consult the contact page of this website. If you live overseas, Outpost members are also welcome.
The Education Committee is a subcommittee of the Management Board and it has a huge role in promoting and effecting the floral art education of the FASNZ members. The Education Committee is responsible for the Teaching Units; Plant Knowledge, Design, Scheduling & Stewarding, Teaching, Demonstrating and Judging together with the associated examination work. Once appropriate Unit Certificates have been achieved, members may attain National Diplomas in Teaching, Judging and Demonstrating. Any FASNZ member who has a National Diploma is eligible to become a member of the Academy of Floral Design; the main role of which is to uphold the standards of judging, teaching and demonstrating, by the organisation of seminars and educational updates through refresher courses.
FASNZ publishes a Diary (which is compiled as a result of an annual competition), the magazine Floral Focus which has three issues per year and reference books e.g. ‘Flair’ and ‘Styles of Design and Techniques’. If you wish to purchase any of these publications please go to our Web Shopping page on this website.
Locally, Clubs and Areas organise Designer of the Year competitions and triennially a National Designer of the Year Competition is held, in association with an Annual Conference and AGM.
In 1981, the World Association of Flower Arrangers (WAFA) was founded, commencing with a membership of 19 countries. Today there are over thirty countries with the Floral Art Society of New Zealand Inc. being an active member. The World Association of Flower Arrangers recently changed their name to World Association of Floral Artists (WAFA). A host country is elected by WAFA for a three year term. During this time the host country is responsible for coordinating an International Seminar and a World Flower Show. New Zealand hosted WAFA between 1993 and 1996, culminating in the highly successful WAFA Show ‘Floranza’ which was held in Wellington. New Zealand was to have hosted WAFA from 2020 until 2024 which was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic.
