Gallery Sector Booming Ahead Of Te Whare o Rehua Reopening

There’s excitement and anticipation in Whanganui’s arts sector in the lead up to the opening of Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery, with six new galleries opening in the last three months.

With 30 galleries and sculpture parks now listed for Whanganui in the Coastal Arts Trail, the city is punching well above its weight in the national arts scene.

Emma Bugden, who is Strategic Lead Creative Industries at Whanganui & Partners, says Whanganui has always had a strong art sector but over the last year the gallery scene has really taken off.

“Whanganui boasts an exceptional number of galleries, ranging from private museums to commercial galleries to artist studios which are open to the public. We’re a hotbed for creativity, which is why we’ve been named a UNESCO City of Design—but it’s a real measure of the anticipation in the arts sector that we’ve seen so many new galleries open recently. Artists are ready for the growth in tourism we’re gearing up for as a city.”

One of the new galleries is Ann Parker Gallery, run by accomplished artist Lorene Taurerewa, which opened in the old Chronicle building in late August. The gallery shows a range of art by New Zealand and international artists, focused on contemporary painting, sculptural and installation. Lorene says, “I believe Whanganui has a strong local creative arts scene. I’m aiming to provide a place where a new relationship between artists and viewers can grow and foster a discussion of art’s self-renewing role in our community.

Another new gallery is Utopia Studio Gallery, established by Angela Tier in the beautifully restored old Berkley building in Guyton Street. Angela set up the gallery “to share my passion for the arts with people”. She shows a mix of local artists alongside New Zealand artists whose work has never been seen in Whanganui, “adding to the diversity of the scene here”.

But it’s a Whanganui icon she’s showing in November, the established photographer Richard Wotton, whose work she personally collects. “I’m showing an intimate collection of his photographs, spanning his career over five decades. I’m a big fan of how he’s capturing our city as it changes and his eye for design and architecture is exceptional.”

Many of the galleries will be opening extended hours during November to maximise the influx of visitors. Whanganui galleries are profiled and championed by the Coastal Arts Trail, a project Paul Chaplow, Strategic Lead for Visitor Industries, was instrumental in developing. Whanganui’s Coastal Arts Trail is managed by Whanganui & Partners. Whanganui spaces which have opened since August 2024 include Rayner Brothers Gallery, Utopia Studio Gallery, Ann Parker Gallery, Duncan Smith Art, Utua Pai! and the Gonville Centre for Urban Research.

An economic impact assessment undertaken by Thomas Consulting in 2019 estimated a forecast injection of $11.4 million per year into the local economy from visitor spending. While Covid-19 disrupted tourism for several years, it did put Whanganui on the map for domestic visitors. Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery has since been cited as a key attraction for overseas visitors by influential publications such as Time Out and National Geographic.

Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery opens to the public from 9th November. Whanganui galleries offering extended opening hours in November include SPACE Gallery and Studios, Lockett Gallery, Utopia Studio / Gallery, Brown & Co, Rayner Brothers Gallery and Polly Cleverley Art. To find details of their individual opening hours please visit https://coastalartstrail.nz/regions/whanganui/#section-39-370

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