Art complex dream dims as $3m lost

Days after the Prime Minister signalled his support for a Hundertwasser-inspired art complex the Whangarei group behind the latest attempt to build one has had to wave goodbye to $3 million that was in the bag.

The Lottery Grants Board and a Northland-based charity had agreed to let their grants sit until Whangarei District Council made its decision. As the council has opted for a public referendum, time has run out.

It is understood the withdrawn funds are $2 million from the Lottery Grants Board's Significant Project Fund, $500,000 from the board's WWI Commemorations, Environment and Heritage committee and another grant of $500,000 from a Northland-based charitable trust.

Prosper Northland Trust had picked up the crumbling Hundertwasser dream - and the promise of funding already allocated - after the Whangarei District Council failed to hold on to it.

Last week while he was in Kerikeri, Prime Minister John Key, who is also the Minister of Tourism, said there were strong arguments for the Hundertwasser centre. While there were concerns about its cost, the project had benefits, Mr Key said.

If the council went ahead with it he would expect representatives "to come and see me for help".

The Prosper Northland Trust, whose plan is based on the existing design, and has new approval from Vienna's Hundertwasser Foundation, has had to let the wad of grant money go but is not letting the grass grow under its feet.

Trustee Barry Trass said the group is setting up a site in an empty James St shop to keep selling to the public the plan to transform the former Harbour Board site into the Hundertwasser Wairau Maori Art Centre.

Also selling in the shop will be souvenirs and items promoting the project, with audio-visuals and exhibitions on show and, if it can be extracted from its council storage place, the Hundertwasser Foundation's model of the proposed building.

All sales would go back into funding the project, Mr Trass said.

But those proceeds are likely to be small change in light of Prosper Northland's confidence big-backers will "line up" to help fund the next $10 million needed for the project.

"It's frustrating, to say the least," Mr Trass said of the council's vote for a referendum rather than a building that even Mayor Sheryl Mai had described as a "gift".

"But I'm confident we can help WAM (Whangarei Art Museum) achieve the Hundertwasser outcome," he said.

Despite the project's credibility taking a knock because of the council's position, there is nothing stopping Prosper Northland Trust reapplying for the grants, he said.