History
Flying Nun Records is New Zealand’s iconic independent record label. Formed in 1981, the label has a major local and international following, and continues to attract new generations of fans and influence new artists. Its story is a significant one: musically, culturally, historically.
What is the Flying Nun Foundation?
The Flying Nun Foundation (FNF) is a registered charity comprised of people who are part of the story and who have come together to ensure that the heritage of the Flying Nun label is preserved, safely stored, catalogued and accessible.
We are interested in a wide range of Flying Nun material.
A primary concern is to identify original - or as pristine as possible - sources of the music recordings. But Flying Nun’s story is a lot bigger than its music. The work of some of New Zealand’s most talented artists, photographers and designers appears on everything Flying Nun, from posters to coasters, and especially on the covers of the label’s records, cassettes & CDs.
There are videos, TV shows and movies. And there is an ever-growing library of interviews, reviews and opinions about the label and its artists contained in newspapers, magazines, books and online. Flying Nun’s correspondence and business records also hold research value.
The FNF is independent of Flying Nun Records. But the label owners and management are supportive of our aims. Founder Roger Shepherd, and Ben Howe from Flying Nun Records are on our Board.
The FNF also has strong connections with the wider Flying Nun community - and we have established a good working relationships with the main archival institutions in New Zealand. What does the FNF do (and not do)?
The material that we are interested in is widely dispersed. In some cases pristine physical copies of the material may be held by private collectors or perhaps in public archives without any claim to the copyright. We will work with anyone to ensure that the best copies of material, as close to the original source as possible, are identified and stored. We’re here to help.
Our main roles are:
- To be active in unearthing material;
- To be a trusted source of advice to people holding material who want to know what their options are.
- To be a bridge between people holding the material and the archival institutions. We will provide information and contacts to anyone interested in knowing more about best practice in looking after their materials, and
- To create an authoritative database of all Flying Nun heritage material.
- The FNF is not an archival institution. We do not take physical possession of any heritage material. And we do not seek any form of owner-ship or control of the copyright, or any other intellectual property rights, in the material.
Where are New Zealand’s main archival institutions?
There are several libraries and archival institutions holding Flying Nun material. The FNF has established relationships with all of these institutions. They include:
The Alexander Turnbull Library at The National Library of New Zealand in Wellington,
Nga Taonga Sound and Vision in Wellington,
The Hocken Library in Dunedin,
Christchurch City Libraries,
Auckland War Memorial Museum.
We can provide advice and contact information for those wishing to approach these and other archival institutions.
What to do meanwhile
Keep any tapes in a dry cool area, not subject to temperature fluctuations or magnetic fields, the same for paper material, which should be flat and protected from moisture, light and silverfish, etc - see our website and preservation brochure for further advice, and links to information held at such places as the National Library. (see Links page)
Contact us:
flyingnunfoundation@gmail.com
flyingnunfoundation.net
https://www.facebook.com/FlyingNunFoundation
We have representatives in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin available to meet in person.