Grant to support New Zealand Portrait Gallery announced

The New Zealand Portrait Gallery will receive a grant of $750,000 from Government to help secure permanent premises for its collection of nationally significant works, Arts Culture and Heritage Minister Christopher Finlayson announced this evening.


Mr Finlayson made the announcement at the opening of the Gallery's new exhibition - ‘Portraits of the Cast of Waiting for Godot, painted by Nick Cuthell' - which was also attended by the cast members of the production depicted in the paintings, including Sir Ian McKellen.


The funding will be allocated in the 2010/11 financial year, to help secure Shed 11 Art Gallery on Wellington Waterfront as a permanent home for the Portrait Gallery's collection. Shed 11 is a Category I Historic Place.


The grant has been made under the Regional Museums Policy Funding, which is intended to ensure nationally significant material is housed adequately and made accessible to New Zealanders.


The New Zealand Portrait Gallery collects, commissions and exhibits major works of portraiture for and about New Zealanders.


"Portraiture is one of the most accessible arts forms," Mr Finlayson said. "It lets people stand face to face with our common heritage."


To qualify for funding under the Regional Museums Policy, a museum must be able to demonstrate that it holds a nationally significant collection, that is of special or outstanding significance to New Zealand, and makes a substantial contribution to New Zealand's cultural heritage.