Heading into our 42nd year as an incorporated society, we continue to focus on supporting the Aigantighe staff, preserving the collection, helping to reinforce its national profile while broadening and deepening cultural engagement.
SPONSORED EXHIBITIONS
From July 2017 to June 2018, we sponsored four special exhibition openings by posting and emailing invitations, providing refreshments and gourmet catering for the artists; Helen Wilcock, Claire Maxwell, Julia Holderness and Petrena Fishburn and Judith Cordeaux.
While the House was out of action, the Gallery team put on additional openings with artists; by Robin Slow, Brian Flintoff and Bob Bickerton, Janna van Hasselt, Mike Armstrong and F. van Hout. The Friends didn’t sponsor these openings so we didn’t post invites, however members were invited via our ENewsletter to the exhibitions, floor talks, and other special events such as a free concert from Christchurch Choir, Musica Balkanica, and a poetry event.
If you haven’t already, you can sign up to our Enewsletter on our website: friends.aigantighe.org.nz
If you haven’t received emails please contact our membership manager This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
2018-28 LONG TERM PLAN (LTP)
Just like you, we know how important it is to show our support for the Aigantighe and share our view on arts and culture in the District. In April, we made a submission, with our key recommendation that the art storage remain on site. Storage was identified as critical in the previous 10-year plan. Our full submission is available on our website under the news section.
GOALS MET FOR 2017/18
We have continued to grow our email list, we now have two contact lists. One for paid members, and one for those who have attended Timaru Rock events and subscribed to our Enewsletter. To help grow visitor numbers to the gallery, we continued to support #TimaruRocks events and to reinforce the profile of the Friends and our Art Restoration Programme.
ARTARAMA
We were pleased to sponsor two prizes for Artarama in 2018: (Below left) Senior Prize - Joshua Earnshaw TBHS and (Below right) Junior Prize - Lucy Grieve St Andrews.
#TIMARU ROCKS
Our rock boxes have been used by over 2000 people to create painted rocks. Many of these rocks have been hidden at the Aigantighe Sculpture Garden.
The Friends and volunteers set up #TimaruRocks stalls at community events to help raise the profile of the Friends and the Gallery and encourage creativity.
OCT: Mental Health Awareness week. Supported Community & Public Health, Wave and the SCDHB. Rock boxes were loaned out to encourage people to create for better mental well being. They had a market day where people could hunt for rocks and make them.
NOV: Movember Soap Box Event.
Set up a rock painting tent to create mustache rocks for a giant mustache and fundraise for the event.
NOV: Rocks and Roses - Rose Fest.
Received a $400 donation for providing rock painting activities at Timaru Festival of Roses which went towards Don Binney Art Restoration. We had an Aigantighe pull up banner and give-aways. Painted rocks were given to the Community Christmas Dinner.
DEC: Mandala Rock Workshop. Hosted 40 people at the Community Lounge with a Mandala Rock Painter Kim Quinn visiting from Canada.
FEB: 1st Birthday Party. Co-Hosted with the Friends of Timaru Botanic Gardens, where we put on live music by a harp player, cake, board games and rock painting.
MAR: Children’s Day. Set up a rock painting gazebo which included Aigantighe give-aways and prizes.
FEB: Sth Canterbury Museum 70s night.
Ran a rock painting tent at the event.
WUHOO SIGNS
We are also working on a project to create and install signs across the district. The first signs are planned for the Coastal Track at Pat-iti Point and Caroline Bay and will feature images from the Aigantighe Art Galleries permanent collection. A great out reach project to show locals and visitors the permanent collection in public spaces.
THANK YOU
Thank you to our members, with your financial support via subs and donations and supporting openings and special events, we are able to continue to support our public art gallery and vibrant arts community. Congratulations to the artists who exhibited at the Aigantighe, the wonderful gallery staff, volunteers. And a big thank you to our Friends committee. It has been a great team effort, and I am really proud of what we have achieved.
Roselyn Fauth
President of the Friends of Aigantighe Art Gallery Inc