Chairs Report
TARANAKI ARTS COMMUNITY TRUST
2006 Annual General Meeting
When it was first established three years ago TACT set the following goals: A designated exhibition space in our own
building; an artist's resource centre; offices to sublet to artists as studios; workshop facilities for classes;
an events catalogue and diary and a website to promote the arts.
Three years later we have achieved almost everything on this list. It has been an exciting time.
We now have a home of our own thanks to the generous offer of Peter and Rosemary Tennent to use the Masters Building rent
free for Real Tart and this year we were given $195,000 from the TSB Community Trust for its refurbishment. We are very
grateful to both and to the community for the support we received to make the renovation project cost effective.
Businesses donated free product or services or provided us with discounts to bring the building in on budget and many
volunteers provided us with hours of work at no cost. Manager Jo Massey project managed everything and went well beyond
the call of duty to ensure the project was a success. Gallery assistant Andre Hansen, Alby Carter, Gallery volunteers
and the various staff from Work and Income were among many who supported the cause.
We now have eight hard-working trustees. We welcomed Susette Goldsmith, Jill White and Simon Cayley to the Trust this year
and farewelled Wayne Morris and Nick Bristow. We also have on board Hayden Wano, Mark Poppelwell, Graeme Beals and
Robin Brockie our treasurer.
We receive invaluable support from Robin's firm Staples Rodway in accounting, bank link and computing backup for the
gallery on a day to day basis.
Work and Income this year have provided us with employment subsidies in the gallery and helped us set up the PACE
scheme (Pathways to art and Creative Employment). The programme is run by Jo Wilkes and teaches artists how to run their
art as a sustainable business and provides mentoring and business skills which are invaluable to emerging artists.
The gallery continues to be well patronised, sales are healthy and our public profile is growing following our change in
site. A marketing campaign and some effective signage and publicity will help make the most of the summer crowds around
Puke Ariki and the foreshore walkway.
We promote the gallery to school groups who tour through to look at the artworks and we have started to push the gallery
as a venue for companies to hold after 5 drinks for clients. We are always looking for new ways to grow the gallery
business.
The weekly Art market outside the library is strong, thanks to Co-ordinator Kelly Schelin's administration and the Arts
trail rack card remains an invaluable resource. A number of volunteers on our training programme have made the most of
the experience in the Gallery and subsequently taken up paid employment elsewhere.
Our biggest challenge remains funding and we will be working even harder this year to gain more sponsorship and financial
support from a variety of sources. Our philosophy that the gallery must be accessible to everyone at the lowest possible
cost does not always sit well with the financial reality of running a commercially viable business in the middle of the
CBD. This year we gratefully received major funding from Creative New Zealand for marketing and promotions and we plan to
employ another staff member to fulfil these roles.
Disappointingly though, our Council funding level remained at $20,000 despite following the submission process through the
LTCCP hearings. We attached nearly 1600 submissions from ratepayers to our own submission calling for realistic permanent
base funding. We were referred back to the already stretched Community Funding Committee and our application for increased
funding was turned down. Council has said that they support Real Tart and they do - to a degree - but this support is not
reflected in their funding arrangements. There is no long-term plan for the Real Tart Gallery.
We need to send the Council a strong message - not just from the Trust but from the people of New Plymouth. The Community
funding pot is not big enough to support major community projects like Real Tart. Council either needs to increase
it so more community groups can benefit or make another source of funding available for bigger projects like the
gallery. The submissions process and the renovation project showed us all just how many people support Real Tart. It
is time Council started listening to them.
Linda Wilkinson
Chairperson
v
Changes at the Real Tart Gallery
With great regret, the Taranaki Arts Community Trust announces the resignation of Jo Massey as Gallery Manager of the
Real Tart Community Art Gallery due to illness. TACT will miss Jo's energy and enthusiasm and we hope that she regains
better health soon.
Andre Hansen is doing a fantastic job of keeping the wheels of the gallery turning, with help from Joanne Wilkes, TACT
Trustee Jill White and support from other gallery workers and volunteers. Thank you to those who have spared some time to
help out during this transition period. Volunteers are always welcome and if you would like to assist in the gallery,
please contact Andre on 7695717.
TACT will employ another Gallery Manager. In the meantime, on behalf of TACT and all the staff and volunteers at the
gallery, I would like to say thank you to Jo for playing such a big part in the inception of Real Tart and the project
management of the shift from Devon Street to the Masters Building.
Linda Wilkinson
Chairperson |