Kāpiti Coast District Council will decide whether to inject over $2 million into the Mahara Gallery redevelopment project when it meets on Thursday.
The council has had an agreement in recent years with the Mahara Gallery Trust to pay one-third of the project cost which is estimated at $6.5m.
The trust been raising funds over the years for the major redevelopment project and has got to the point where the majority of funding is locked in, the design completed and resource consent granted.
It has wanted to revamp the Waikanae based gallery especially to provide a permanent home to the Field Collection featuring artworks by Frances Hodgkins, her family and associates.
The council, which had also been planning to upgrade the gallery, inked a new agreement late 2018 with the Mahara Gallery Trust and the Field Collection Trust.
"The joint project aims to deliver an open and inviting integrated facility, a distinctive iconic building, and an improved built environment at Mahara Place," the meeting's report said.
"Once the redevelopment has been completed, the gallery will be able to provide a high quality venue and an experience consistent with its role as the district's public gallery.
"It will also be able to offer a secure home with museum standard care for the Field Collection.
"This collection of artworks and artefacts associated with Frances Hodgkins and her family is of major significance to the Kāpiti Coast district.
"If the gallery is not able to provide the appropriate environment for this, the collection may be lost to the district."
Mahara Gallery. Photo / David Haxton
It said the gallery trust, needing to raise two-thirds of the estimated project cost, had secured a funding contribution from the Regional Cultural and Heritage Fund through the Ministry for Culture and Heritage of $1,733,000 and contingency of $432,000.
"In making this decision the Government is recognising the importance of this facility, and the gallery's collection and programmes, to the Kāpiti community."
The trust had also fundraised $1,518,000 and was doing more including applications to the Lotteries Significant Projects Fund ($200,000) and the NZ Community Trust (in the order of $100,000) as well as gallery rooms naming rights, targeting individuals, public fundraising campaign and art auction.
Waikanae Community Board had also pledged $254,000 to the trust.
The report recommended council proceed with the gallery's redevelopment project and confirm funding of $2,845,000 which included an underwrite of $669,000 for the remaining Mahara Gallery Trust portion of the project.
Among other recommendations council would lead the project through construction and handover.
There was also an option to decline the investment until the trust had raised all its required funding but a decline could potentially see the ministry funding lost, which would delay the project while additional funding was sourced, or even unable to continue, and the Field Collection lost to the district.
