Sarjeant Gallery Trust Welcomes Donation

Sarjeant Gallery Trust Welcomes Community Foundation Donation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Sarjeant Gallery Trust has welcomed a decision by the Whanganui Community Foundation to grant a further $750,000 to the proposed $34 million redevelopment of the historic Sarjeant Gallery Te Whare o Rehua.

Trust chairman Nicola Williams says the latest grant takes total funding for the redevelopment from the Foundation to $1 million which is a huge boost for the project. (The latest funding is additional to a $250,000 grant approved last year and will be made in staged payments over the next three years.)

The proposed multi-million dollar Sarjeant redevelopment includes earthquake strengthening and restoration of the historic Sarjeant Gallery and development of a new purpose built wing for storage of the extensive and nationally significant art collection, exhibitions and education purposes.

The Sarjeant Trust already has more than $22 million in cash and written pledges - including $5 million from the Whanganui District Council. Ms Williams says the trust is still waiting on the outcome of other funding proposals that are currently on the table. She says provided written pledges can be finalised by the end of June she is fully confident of reaching the target needed to unlock central Government funding of $10 million.

“With that under our belts we will be on the home stretch – and in an excellent position to get construction underway by the middle of next year.”

Ms Williams says the $1 million grant from the Whanganui Community Foundation and its support for the project is vital in helping get the project over the line.

“The Foundation’s decision to make such a significant contribution to the project to help us meet our funding deadlines reflects how important the redevelopment is to Whanganui and the wider region and is an enormous boost to our fundraising efforts.”

Whanganui Mayor Annette Main is extremely pleased with the Whanganui Community Foundation’s announcement of an additional grant to the project.

“The Community Foundation has recognised the importance of the project to Whanganui and the region and I thank them for their support when they receive so many deserving applications for funding,” Mayor Main said.

“We always knew that it would take time to achieve the required external funding because that involves significant investment of time in relationship building. Those efforts are now coming to fruition and we can look to the future with confidence that the Sarjeant Gallery will be a place for our future generations to care for and enjoy.”

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