Gallery turns one

One year on and with visitor numbers approaching twice the original estimate of 400,000, the Christchurch Art Gallery is preparing to celebrate an extremely successful first year.

The gallery, which was officially opened by Prime Minister Helen Clark on Saturday, 10 May 2003, will mark its first year in operation with a weekend of celebratory events this weekend.

On Saturday 8 May, the gallery hosts the Christchurch Symphony which will perform Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture, Dittersdorf ’s Harp Concerto in A and Mozart’s Symphony No. 41 in C, K.551 (Jupiter). The First Anniversary Concert will also include ‘Homage to Monet’, a presentation of costume, music and movement by fabric artist Jenny Gillies and the Southern Ballet.

On Sunday, 9 May, the gallery celebrates its first birthday party, with a day-long programme of entertainment. The free event will include give-aways and prizes, family activities, music and performance. In keeping with the birthday theme, the gallery will also provide balloons and cake, as well as flowers to mark Mothers Day. The day will culminate with an official cake-cutting ceremony with Mayor Garry Moore.

“We hope the people of Christchurch and Canterbury will join us in celebrating the First Anniversary of their gallery,” says gallery director Tony Preston.

“This is one way of thanking all our supporters who have helped us establish a cultural facility that is the envy of the rest of New Zealand.”

“It has been a spectacular first year for the gallery — one which has enabled us to reach a far broader audience than ever before.”

Over the inaugural year, the gallery has hosted 23 exhibitions, including four international touring shows. It has also developed two national touring exhibitions — Te Puawai o Ngai Tahu and George D Valentine: A Nineteenth Century Photographer in New Zealand.

“But our successes this year would have been much less without our community’s commitment — they have reinforced a remarkably successful fundraising campaign for the building, by continuing their support of the gallery and its programmes,” says Mr Preston.