Treasured Art exhibition secures new Tauranga Art Gallery venue

Kathy Webb, Barbara Whitton, Dan Allen-Gordon, Stephen Cleland, Jillian Peck, Duane Moyle and Mel McDonald. Photo / Supplied

This year's Treasured Art exhibition and auction will be held at the Tauranga Art Gallery.

The Rotary Club of Tauranga Sunrise has joined forces with the Tauranga Art Gallery for the exhibition and auction event next month.

Rotary member Kathy Webb said collaborating with the art gallery was "exciting" and had encouraged high-profile artists including Kelcy Taratoa and Emma Prill to add to this year's collection.

"Because of our association with the art gallery, artists will have confidence that their art will be curated and installed to its best advantage."

Treasured Art has run annually since 2012, raised $250,000 and has supported almost 1000 children through the Graeme Dingle Foundation's Kiwi Can programme.

The 2021 event will also support the Tauranga Art Gallery ArtBus, which provides free transport for students from local primary, intermediate and secondary schools to visit the gallery to engage in art-based education programmes.

Kelcy Taratoa, I Have Spoken, 2020. Photo / Supplied

"We are now halfway through our campaign to attract high-quality art for this event," Webb said. "The closing date for submission is April 9 and to date the offerings have been fantastic."

A Tauranga Art Gallery spokeswoman said the gallery was grateful to have the Rotary Club of Tauranga Sunrise and the Treasured Art project support the ArtBus this year.

"Each year over 9500 local children travel on the free Tauranga Art Gallery ArtBus to the gallery, where they experience a New Zealand curriculum art programme and create their own artwork.

"These visits foster children's creative minds and in turn help them to apply critical, innovative, and reflective thinking to all areas of their life."

Kereama Taepa, Poutama, 2020. Photo / Supplied

Graeme Dingle Foundation Western Bay of Plenty regional manager Dan Allen-Gordon said the Treasured Art exhibition and auction had supported KiwiCan for many years.

Allen-Gordon said they had donated an "extraordinary" amount to the charity.

"They've put in over a quarter of a million to our Kiwi Can programme, which impacts on thousands of kids in Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty."

Graeme Dingle and a Kiwi Can kid have been invited to speak at the auction night event.

Event details

What: Treasured Art.
When: Exhibition runs from May 10 to 16. The Black Tie auction event is on May 14.
Where: Tauranga Art Gallery.