Three steps back for gallery

Tauranga City Council's announced intention to again drive the city art gallery into deficit will be fought in the 2014/2015 draft annual plan submissions process, says gallery director Penelope Jackson.

Tauranga Art Gallery. Photo: file.

'It's the next part of the process. It will be interesting to see the depth of feeling,” says Penelope.

'If you look at pie graph on the council website, three per cent of council income goes towards art, culture and heritage. We cost the ratepayer less than one per cent of that. It's not a huge amount.

'[Tauranga City] councillor John Robson was saying in council the other day that we cost per rateable household, not per person but per household, seven dollars.

'I know Dunedin, New Plymouth – it's over $30 per rateable household for their public art gallery. What do you get for seven dollars over a whole year? Not a lot.”

The decision to remove the consumer price index adjustment from the annual operating grant is a repeat of an action by the previous city council, which changed its mind about the CPI after the gallery began advising of future deficits.

'We had the same grant for four years then [TCC councillor of the time] Terry Molloy put it forward last year; he got a resolution through and we've got it back now for this present year,” says Penelope.

'Now the proposal is we lose it again, which makes it very difficult, of course, for planning.”

The gallery's big costs are power, insurance and freight. Most exhibitions come from elsewhere and have to be returned.

'Freight doesn't come cheaply. Power, insurance, freight; they go up, up, up, as you know. But when the grant doesn't, then the gap gets bigger,” says Penelope.

'Over the last three years we have basically had a surplus. We have managed to break even or have a surplus, but it is really hard to continue along that line when you income is cut.”

Penelope thinks the gallery will break even this year, but going forward there will be a gap.

'The thing is we are always very honest, very transparent about our costs; we know what our costs are. If we didn't forecast for a deficit then we would be doing something wrong.

'But you take that funding away, there will be a deficit. So how do you cover that, because nobody likes having a deficit.

'We have very little discretionary spend. We have fixed costs; wages, salaries, power, insurance, cleaning. So what is it that you can change?”

The Gallery has six permanent employees with costs that include: salaries, wages, kiwisaver, recruitment, training, staff development, tea/coffee, etc. Plus there are more than six staff as per website, says Penny. There's the casual/part timers that aren't actually listed - and volunteers – seven Trustees and the Friends of the Gallery committee are all dedicated volunteers.

The options are to offer fewer exhibitions, or less interesting exhibitions, says Penelope.

'[But] We don't want to have lesser exhibitions, we don't want to have fewer and we don't want ones of a lesser standard. Because that's what we are about, we are a public art gallery and we want to show the best. There's nothing wrong with that.

'We send our best athletes to the Olympics; we don't send the amateurs or someone who is learning. We send our best.

'That's what public art galleries and museums are about, showcasing the top in their field. And we are really proud of that.”

The gallery has to find 20 per cent of its budget from income. Last year it achieved 28 per cent.

Another discretionary spend is the art bus, a free service to the schools that send classes to the gallery. It costs $45,000 a year to run –and its money on top of the gallery budget, says Penelope.

Children pay $1.50 each for the materials used and the teacher that takes them round the gallery is paid by the Ministry of Education.

'The art bus is funded through a variety of sources,” says Penny. 'It includes, at the moment, the Endeavour Trust, Bay Trust, TECT, Friends of the Gallery and Rotary.

'I basically put out applications all the time to all these organisations and different trusts, and basically beg for money. It is a lot of money to find every year on top of 20 per cent of a budget of $1.2 million.”

21 comments

good

Posted on 07-04-2014 08:37 | By Capt_Kaveman

i do not support this gallery so i dont want a cent from my rates the cargo shed i support but in times of hardship something must go and im happy to see it be self funded


live within means

Posted on 07-04-2014 08:53 | By gincat

Sorry but council has to kerb spending, whether its mobile library, swimming pools or art gallery.Rates are way too high now,and the dumping of 7 councillors sent a clear message, live within your means, after all house holds have to do that


So You Don't Like Art

Posted on 07-04-2014 12:55 | By Muz 061

Come on Kaveman, if all those who aren't at all interested in rugby said we don't want our rates money spent on maintaining the fields then where would we be? As the article said, 3% is spent on arts and heritage and 1% of that is spent on the gallery. We don't really want to look like a city of cavemen do we? Tauranga is starting to grow up and be a real city and that means a little on the arts. Rugby by the way should be able to afford to pay it's own way with the number of cavemen who love all that.


Art Gallery free bees

Posted on 07-04-2014 13:04 | By YOGI BEAR

Penelope seems to forget that the Art crowd were only seeking a first year hand out from TCC not an annual squandering, CPI looks very small after that ... perhaps TCC Councilors should be focusing on the annual lump sum handout not the crumbs added annually. The latter would not be an issue if the first part was correct.


No more rates $$

Posted on 07-04-2014 13:44 | By nerak

I have only once visited the gallery, in recent months, and will not bother again. My mind boggled at cost involved to acquire and display a piece of recycled garbage from the roof. And this was art? Who says? Who makes the decision as to what is displayed, and does that need to change? Perhaps we also need to look at the many jaunts the Director has around the countryside, maybe some of that needs cutting back. Too many ratepayer $$ being poured into this cavern, time it stopped.


Cut down the salaries

Posted on 07-04-2014 14:11 | By alderest

I am an art lover and appreciate the gallery, however I note in their annual report for 2012 that the employee expenses are $575,876. According to their web site there are six full time staff and six part time staff. That's a lot of money for six full time staff, and six part time staff (some who may be volunteers), so who is getting what.


Sadly underutilised

Posted on 07-04-2014 15:10 | By expatAucklander

The gallery does a great job of curating and hosting some world-class exhibits, unfortunately the proportion of the public with the education or sophistication to engage with the works seem to be missing. For all those questioning the need or value of the gallery, I would suggest you actually go in, look critically and ask questions and challenge yourselves. Art isn't just a bunch of pretty pictures to look at, it's a tool to broaden understanding. Places like the gallery exist to show the rest of the country that there is more to Tauranga than beaches and old folks homes.


Keep to the original

Posted on 07-04-2014 16:58 | By Phailed1

I believe when the gallery was proposed ratepayers were told it would only be a one-off one million dollars from ratepayers? Now it's nearly that every year??? The only way the gallery continues to operate seems to be the huge annual ratepayer subsidy. Perhaps the visitors to the gallery could pay an annual membership fee like other sports and arts clubs or groups do. Then we could measure whether it is truly valued.


Something has to go

Posted on 07-04-2014 23:28 | By Murray.Guy

I read an advert for a new position at Tauranga City Council, a personal 'spin doctor/advisor' reporting to the Mayor in the first instance then Deputy Mayor. Thi person will cost $80-$140,000. It's about priorities, the Arts, a mobile library bus, affordable access to Memorial Park Swimming Pool ... or a personal spin doctor for the Mayor. Can't afford both. Job description can be found here: http://www.tauranga.govt.nz/about-the-council/the-organisation/working-at-tcc/vacancies/tabid/108/aid/32956/tctl/971_ViewAnnouncement/Default.aspx


Phailed1

Posted on 08-04-2014 08:06 | By Capt_Kaveman

Well said we need cuts and this gallery is a burden and must go completely,Muz 061 = fields support exercise galleries do not


$17 per household not $7

Posted on 08-04-2014 10:00 | By Gail McIntosh

TCC has approx. 51,000 households and TCC funds them approx. $864,000 which is $17 per household not $7 per year


Something did go, Murray

Posted on 08-04-2014 14:17 | By Councillorwatch

It was you along with a number of other councillors. But remember how the council you were on funded a Speedway, catering business and a $5 million loan to Baypark? All about priorities really? My belief is council should be out of all those these things.


They call it

Posted on 10-04-2014 11:19 | By Mary Faith

There is so much rubbish exhibited in this so called "Art Gallery". They cater for the minority and warped minds! They could put all the so called "Art" into a couple of rooms and use the rest for a museum. Sadly they can't put a charge on entry no-one would go!!


Interesting comments

Posted on 01-05-2014 15:41 | By morepork

Kaveman, you miss the point. Sport and Arts are not mutually exclusive. We NEED BOTH. Sure, it is a tight time right now, but the Gallery (and their performance and transparency is exemplary; wish we could say the same about TCC) is a very small percentage of the costs for a thriving modern City. It isn't about intellectual snobbery, or showing that we can compete with other cities, or exhibiting "rubbish" (I'm sad for the person who said that). Rather, it is about having the opportunity to get kids in touch with something intangible, something bigger than just winning the match (although that's pretty important too), and to provide something for us adults to stimulate, provoke thought, and sometimes to just scratch that inner creative itch. Whether it is writing, painting, sculpture, music, or just planning a menu, we do not live by bread (and exercise on fields) alone.


More Pork

Posted on 02-05-2014 18:31 | By YOGI BEAR

Yes the Kave Mun is right, and yes the cost is $17 per ratepaying house now. But that does not account for the facts here. The Art gallery was to have only a one off payment in the first year and that was it, finish, over, end. But oh no the spin doctors have carried on troughing out on the ratepayers ever since.


Art and Culture are Part of life

Posted on 04-05-2014 16:45 | By carpedeum

Balance is what communities are all about.As another expat Aucklander choosing to settle back (and contribute to the Community)here. I suggest that those of you who have no interest in the Arts-both performing and tangible -elevate your eyes and to try develop a bit of vision for this Seaside town which has now grown into a great City and you have stayed behind.


@YOGI BEAR

Posted on 05-05-2014 10:19 | By morepork

The FACT is that ratepayers (and I am also one) are going to carry most of the burden for "Tauranga Inc". It is unfair and wrong, but that is the system we live with. (A poll tax where everyone who lives here shares the burden, not just property owners, would be much fairer and less of a weight for all of us...) Whether it is $17 or $7 is not really the issue. We have a beautiful, well run, efficient, Art Gallery. They deserve our support. I take your point that it was supposed to be a "one-off" payment, but I think you have to let it go. It was a number of years ago and much water has gone under the bridge since then. Hold TCC responsible for the agreement being changed, not the Art Gallery.


@carpediem

Posted on 05-05-2014 10:37 | By morepork

Tauranga is indeed a beautiful city (after 30+ years of living in Europe, I am glad to be home and wouldn't live anywhere else), and you are right that it has grown from a sleepy retirement seaside resort into a thriving modern centre. (My family came here in 1959; it was good then and it is better now.) Kiwi culture has never been generally big on the Arts (things like painting and poetry were considered "sissy" and "unmanly" when I was growing up,definitely not suitable for a "Kiwi bloke") but a new generation is arriving. You cannot force people to drink, but you CAN lead them to water. If our citizens are to be well balanced we need to keep our traditional values of fair play and justice, excellence in sport, cultural diversity, and round them out with a broader vision, as you suggest. It will happen in time.


Carpendeum

Posted on 06-05-2014 12:19 | By YOGI BEAR

You want it you pay for it, simple, easy no brainer.


Your hobby horse

Posted on 06-05-2014 12:20 | By YOGI BEAR

Simple concept really is that you like it, you want it ... have 10 or 20 for all I care, just don't take my money and waste it on paying for it all.


Private hobbies

Posted on 06-05-2014 13:28 | By YOGI BEAR

Should be paid for by the individual, art is of interest to but a few and so they should shell out the bikkies to pay if that is what they want to do. Most people have no interest whatsoever in the Arts and that is simply because it is the realm of a bunch of lefties that are into their own thing and best that they all go off somewhere else and do their thing ...


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