The trust said the Council and community had shown an “exceptional level of initiative and enterprise” in financing, planning and building the new Art Gallery, Te Puna o Waiwhetu, which it described as an “important and prominent civic asset that will boost the life of the central city”.

Bronwyn Simes, the Art Gallery Manager (Buildings and Finance), says the award is a “very appropriate recognition of the Council’s commitment to the gallery. The Council has established a remarkable cultural facility, which has exceeded expectations on every level.”