Friday, 22 June 2018

Expressions Whirinaki secures grant funding towards extension in Upper Hutt

Arts centre awarded grant of $500K from Lottery Community Facilities Fund to contribute toward upcoming extension.

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 22 JUN 2018—Upper Hutt’s Expressions Whirinaki Arts and Entertainment Centre has just been awarded a grant of $500,000 for its upcoming extension project. The news broke last week on the back of trust Deputy Chair Terry McCaul and Mayor Wayne Guppy resigning the contract between Expressions Whirinaki Arts and Entertainment Trust and Upper Hutt City Council for a further 3 years.

The facility, which is owned by Upper Hutt City Council, is leased to the Trust, which provides all the programming and services that the local community enjoy at the centre.

Expressions Whirinaki has grown from strength to strength in the last 5 years as it continues to secure significant national and international exhibitions in its gallery and theatre spaces. Demand on the facility has continued to climb and plans are now in place for an extension to be carried out in order to meet current and future demand.

The extension, currently costed at $7.2 million will see the addition of more gallery space, a full-size commercial catering kitchen, archive storage, and creative workshop space. The extension is also to be partly funded by Council as indicated in its upcoming Long Term Plan 2018 – 2028.

It was noted in the response notification from Lottery Community Facilities that “the request aligned with Lottery Grants Board outcomes and this Committee's priorities and funding criteria.”

The grant comes in addition to other funding initiatives, including a previous grant of the same amount from the Lotteries Environment and Heritage Fund. This brings the total contribution from the Lotteries Commission up to $1 million.

Expressions Whirinaki Director, Leanne Wickham is delighted with the news, “We have a keen sense of excitement about the extension. Our plan has ambitious ideas and will deliver on our promise to be a regionally significant resource. The extension will allow us to grow more into meeting the needs of our community and that of the region. We’re delighted that the Lotteries Commission is supporting us in this journey. We want to keep reaching for the future, working in, with, and for our community, enhancing lives through the stories we tell and the services we provide.”

Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy is also thrilled with the news, “As it is, Expressions Whirinaki is one of our city’s standout facilities. The centre is continually providing local, regional, and nationally significant content for people to grow in understanding, enjoy, and celebrate. This extension is going to enable our groundbreaking service to continue and grow—bringing the richness of art, science, and entertainment to the wider community.”

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