Since the Chicago couple started summering here in the early 2000s, they’ve become major local arts philanthropists. They funded global consultant Adrian Ellis to prepare a strategic plan for arts in the Queenstown-Lakes district, out of which the Three Lakes Cultural Trust was established, with their support. They then put several million dollars into getting Queenstown arts and cultural centre Te Atamira established in 2022, while stressing it was also a group effort with founding director Olivia Egerton playing a pivotal role. Explaining their support for the arts, Abby’s stated: ‘‘The arts soothe our souls and add so much richness and vitality and dimension to our individual lives as well as to the community as a whole. ‘‘In these uncertain and challenging times, we need the arts more than ever.’’As to how they discovered Queenstown, Carroll says ironically when he was just nine his family almost moved from California to Nelson.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 31, 2026 15:03 UTC