Vision
Contemporary art is essential to a thriving society.
Mission
Artspace Aotearoa critically explores contemporary life, led by artists.
Artspace Aotearoa was founded in 1987 by artists and arts workers as a public art gallery to platform contemporary art practices that were otherwise unsupported in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and beyond. The organisation aims to develop critical discourse, resources for artists, and connect the Aotearoa context with international conversations. While the expression of the organisation continues to evolve as it is regularly reshaped by the fixed-term Kaitohu Director these founding tenets remain at its core. The Tiaki Board of Trustees elect the Kaitohu Director who determines the programme 12–18 months in advance.
The Kaitohu Director role is currently held by Ruth Buchanan (2022–2027), each year's programme is informed by an annual question. The programme presents four exhibitions alongside a schedule of events, visiting practitioners, and publications.
The current exhibition programme begins with the pou pou show, where two senior artists, like the senior trees of a forest, establish a healthy foundation for the year. This is followed by the solo exhibition considered as the controlled burnoff, which bends the expectations of the solo exhibition form. The group show follows as a period of reseeding, connecting practices across generations, and local and international contexts. The year ends with the New Commissions emerging artists show, the new growth.
Audiences are invited to tune into this seasonal rhythm and consider the programme as one exhibition in four parts, as a score played across a calendar, or even as a forest.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi
Artspace Aotearoa acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi The Treaty of Waitangi as Aotearoa New Zealand’s founding document. Artspace Aotearoa prioritises the evolving relationship of the dual constitutional heritage of Te Tiriti in its operational and programmatic approach.
Staff
Tiaki Board
The Board is guided by a Tiaki model with three core focus areas:
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Tikanga; Kawa; Sector Growth; and Strategic Networking
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Leadership and staff Well-being; Artist Relationships; Art-space and Art-place (Identity)
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Audit and Risk, Benefactors, Business Innovation and Funding Partnerships
Tiaki Trustees
He Manu Taiko
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Tūī is a descendent of Ohomairangi and Mākuratawhiti of the Ngāti Ohomairangi people. Her grandparents hail from the vessels: Te Arawa, Hōkioi, Tainui, Honoiti, Uruao, Hohou-te rongo, Kaiwhare, Mataatua, Nukutere, Nukutaimemeha, Paikea, Ārai-te-uru, Uruao, Tākitimu, Manuka, Maahunui, Ko Wai Ka Tohu, Kurahaupō.
A highly skilled Māori performing artist, Tūī is an expert in Mau rākau a Matarua (Weaponry Māori). She is a specialist in patu (short clubs) and teaches this artform to people of Aotearoa, Australia, Hawaii and London. Tūī is the senior wahine karanga for her many pā/marae throughout Te Arawa, mai Maketu ki Tongariro. Tūī performs karanga me te poroporoākī no matter what pā or environ and surrounds she enters throughout Aotearoa’s landscape, near and far.
Tūī is a kapa haka guru, traditional, marae/pā and contemporary creator, composer, singer, choreographer, mentor, performing artist, tutor and first female tutor and leader of Te Matarae-i-Ōrehu 1994 - 1997 (top National Kapa Haka), and over the last 40+ years has been a judge for Māori performing art forms from primary through to tertiary level, including senior regional levels, and for Te Matatini. She has stood with the crème de la crème groups in Aotearoa from the age of 16 years. She has judged various ahurei and ahurea throughout Aotearoa, Hawai’i and Australia, including traditional and contemporary contexts/festivals and competitions.
“Te Arawa māngai nui ūpoko tūtakitahi e kore e nuku, hei hā!”
“Ngā puna he rau a Atuamatua!”
Volunteers
Former Staff
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Remco de Blaaij (2017-2022)
Misal Adnan Yıldız (2015-2017)
Caterina Riva (2012-2015)
Emma Bugden (2008-2011)
Brian Butler (2005-2008)
Tobias Berger (2003-2005)
Hanna Scott (2002-2003)
Robert Leonard (1997-2001)
Lara Bowen (1993-1996)
Priscilla Pitts (1989-1993)
Mary-Louise Browne (1987-1989) -
Anto Yeldezian, (Kaitiaki Toi Gallery Host, 2021-2024)
Liam Jacobsen, (Kaitiaki Toi Gallery Host, 2023-2024)
Taarn Scott (Kaitiaki Toi Gallery Host, 2023-2024)
Eva Ngamanu, (Toi Māori Intern, 2024)
Tyson Campbell (Curator, 2022-2023)
Georgina Brett (Production Manager, 2018-2022)
Aliyah Winter (Front of House and Communications Assistant, 2021-2022)
Meijing He (Manahautu General Manager, 2019-2022)
Daniel John Corbett Sanders (Kaiāwhina Whakaaturanga Assistant Curator, 2021-2022)
Geneva Alexander-Marsters (Marketing, Media, and Communications Assistant 2018-2021 )
Tyson Campbell (Assistant Curator, 2020-2021)
Lachlan Taylor (Assistant Curator, 2019-2020)
Jaimee Stockman-Young (Gallery Administrator, 2017)
Leah Mulgrew (Communications Coordinator, 2011-2017)
Bridget Riggir-Cuddy (Assistant Curator, 2017-2018)
Cameron Ah Loo-Matamua (Education Intern, 2017)
Anna Gardner (Gallery Administrator, 2010-2016)
Henry Davidson (Curatorial Assistant, 2015)
Louisa Afoa (Education Intern, 2015)
Amelia Hitchcock (Curatorial Assistant, 2013/2014)
Ahilapalapa Rands (Education Intern, 2014)
Alex Davidson (Curatorial Assistant, 2012/2013)
Ioana Gordon-Smith (Education Intern, 2013)
Arron Santry (Curatorial Intern, 2011)
Annie Bradley (Communications Manager, 2010)
Lena Kovac (Administrator, 2010)
Roman Mitch (Curatorial Intern, 2010)
Vera Mey (Education and Media Intern, 2010)
Robyn Maree Pickens (Curatorial Intern, 2009)
Victoria Henderson (Resource Manager, 2009)
Kate Brettkelly-Chalmers (Curatorial Intern, 2008)
Ida Moberg (Communications Manager, 2007)
Ariane Craig-Smith (Curatorial Intern, 2007 and Project Manager 2019)
Laura Preston (Curatorial Intern, 2006)
Tessa Giblin (Assistant Curator, 2005)
Sonya Korohina (Administrator, 2001)
Constance McArdle (Projects Manager, 1998)
Kelly Carmichael (Administrator, 1998)
Creative Commons
All texts written by Artspace Aotearoa are under the Creative Commons License. Texts by external authors or sources usually are not, except where noted otherwise.
Contact
+64 9 303 4965
292 Karangahape Road
Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland 1010
Aotearoa New Zealand
Tue–Fri 10am–6pm
Sat 11am–4pm
Free entry
