While it might be free to gawk at the art, the gallery that these works hang in needs the extra dosh to keep the creativity flowing.
Tauranga City Council is receiving public submissions on their Long Term Plan for the city until this Friday, December 15.
The Tauranga Art Gallery believes that a thriving art community will lend to council’s goals of bringing vibrancy and growth to Tauranga City.
As part of their submission to the TCC Long Term Plan, the art gallery is calling for increased operational funds of $200,000.
Toi Tauranga Art Gallery director Sonya Korohina says the operational funding will allow the gallery to meet economic challenges they are facing at present and in future years.
“The costs to operate the gallery and deliver art experiences and learning programmes have increased dramatically,” says Sonya.
“For example we have experienced significant increase to freighting artworks such as the popular Rita Angus exhibition earlier this year. Through to triple the cost to provide buses to bring school children to attend our education programmes.”
The main art gallery is currently closed with construction as part of The Masonic Park upgrade beginning in the New Year, says Sonya.
These upgrades are among works for Te Manawataki o Te Papa –the $306 million civic precinct redevelopment. In the meantime, the art gallery is operating from a Pop-Up gallery at 42 Devonport Rd.
Receiving $200,00 extra in funds will “enable the gallery to meet basic costs of running an art gallery and programmes, and further enable us to focus efforts in other commercial revenue areas such as venue hire, hospitality and retail, working towards a stronger, more sustainable operating model”, says Sonya.
SunLive asked council if they were likely to approve the $200,000 operational funds for the Tauranga Art Gallery.
“Any decisions around funding through the Long-Term Plan will be decided following hearings and deliberations in early-2024 and council cannot make any comments ahead of those processes,” says a council spokesperson.
Feedback on the LTP closes on Friday, December 15, and hearings will take place in February 2024.
To support Tauranga Art Gallery’s submission visit: https://www.artgallery.org.nz/LTP-Submission-2023
9 comments
Just say no
Posted on 15-12-2023 09:00 | By BryanBOP
No thanks. Rubbish gallery anyway.
Just endless
Posted on 15-12-2023 09:10 | By an_alias
Thriving, you have no real business case and nothing of value to show but give us some more money so we can show terrible art like what just got cancelled.
How about you stand on your own, TCC said you had a business case didn't they ?
Don't you realize they have spent all the money now and into the future ?
Disgraceful
Posted on 15-12-2023 10:41 | By Let's get real
Why are we paying thousands to bus companies to transport disinterested primary school children to the art galleries...?
Why not do it the other way around and ask for volunteers from the "extensive" art community to visit the school...?
Presumably the answer lays with the need to bolster attendance numbers for public services that are otherwise unused, but are heavy burdens on ratepayer funds. The Art gallery and the bus service.
So what happens when we get the two museums...? I'm pretty certain that I already know the answer to that.
More disinterested children, worried about missing their playground and eating lunch with their friends.
Overit
Posted on 15-12-2023 12:40 | By overit
Plain & simple, start charging to go in.
I dont want more on my rates.
The funding will be approved.
Posted on 15-12-2023 13:16 | By morepork
Because they have no choice. We have a beautiful Art Gallery and it can't be closed down. The real problem is enthusing the broader public about the value of Art. If the displays are not engaging with people, you can't expect people to repeat visit. Schoolchildren can be motivated by Art but it needs to be supported in school, as well as bus trips to an exhibition. Strapped schools find it hard to get good Art teachers. In my schooldays there was a colourful Art teacher at TBC (Eddie Bullmore) who stimulated many of us to take an interest in Art. Eddie was active in the community and several restaurants had examples of his work. Too many people never get the joy of an art work, and see only stupid, contrived, snobbery. We have some great artists locally who deserve our support. The Gallery should encourage them.
,@ morepork
Posted on 15-12-2023 16:53 | By Kancho
You are right the commissioner's will spend more rates money on the gallery. But as you say support local arts well currently the historic village arts incubator that houses and encourage local artists and children the council will increase the rental and in effect close them down. This includes the men's shed and several groups who struggle but rent increases will jeopardize years of growth . So the council is duplicitous at best
I totally agree Morepork
Posted on 15-12-2023 17:11 | By Shadow1
We had to fight to get the gallery, it has been acclaimed for its displays. Unfortunately no one can persuade people who don’t like art to attend so it’s an uphill fight for funds.
Looking forward to the upgrade.
Shadow1
@kancho
Posted on 16-12-2023 09:35 | By Mopo
The incubator at the Village is financially healthy.
They cry poor but last year the incubator earned about $170k in profit and has over $650k in the bank. You can see their returns at the link.
https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=18db9f50-1d78-e311-8f2f-00155d0d1916&searchId=6ec94e18-0a72-46bb-b2c4-cce47b71e675
The art gallery has 600k cash reserves and made 30k last year. They are managing a much larger organisation $15million which is 21 times larger than the incubator.
https://register.charities.govt.nz/CharitiesRegister/ViewCharity?accountId=281aeaaf-e131-dd11-8f7f-0015c5f3da29&searchId=fd2804c3-b114-4fdd-9471-bf552b8cdbd0
If anyone should have the money it's the art gallery.
What I find sad...
Posted on 16-12-2023 13:04 | By morepork
... (apart from increased costs to keep the gallery running), is the fact that so many people think that Art (in all forms) and the appreciation of it, is "not for me". If you have never been moved by music, writing, sculpture, photograhy, or other works of Art, you have indeed been deprived of something which all of us have a right to. "Man does not live by bread alone" Our ealiest ancestors decorated their caves with Art. We should make sure our kids are not so deprived, and the Art Gallery is part of that. Council repression of the Historic Village is a separate (also reprehensible) issue. We should resist it fiercely. Thanks to Mopo for the numbers, and to posters who supported my original post here; it is good to see that my considerations are read... :-)
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to make a comment.