26 May 2004

Nelson Museum and Wanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery win conditional funding approval

Prime Minister and Arts, Culture and Heritage Minister Helen Clark said today that conditional approval has been given to grant $1.177 million to the Nelson Provincial Museum and $2.475 million to the Sarjeant Gallery in Wanganui.

“These new allocations are being made from the government’s Fund for Regional Museums Capital Construction Projects, established in 2000,” Helen Clark said.

"The proposed developments in Nelson and Wanganui are exciting cultural initiatives. They will have a positive impact on their economies through increasing regional tourism while also helping to preserve important aspects of each regions’ heritage.

“The primary responsibility for funding regional museums and galleries, like in Nelson and Wanganui, rests at the local level. For these grants to become unconditional, the government is seeking final confirmation from the local authorities in the area of their financial support for the projects; and in the case of Wanganui, a small increase in financial support will be required.

“I hope that these conditions can be met and that these two very worth projects will be able to proceed.”

Regional Museums Policy 2004: Funding conditions

The following are the conditions that the Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui and Nelson Provincial Museum are to meet by the 31 August 2004 in order to secure funding from the government through the Regional Museums Policy for Capital Construction Projects in the 2004/05 financial year:

Sarjeant Gallery, Wanganui

The Sarjeant Gallery will receive funding of $2.200 million (GST exclusive), provided that there is confirmation by the Sarjeant Gallery Trust Board that: the Wanganui District Council will increase its contribution towards the project by $0.550 million (GST exclusive); and the Wanganui District Council will fully underwrite the project fundraising.

Nelson Provincial Museum, Nelson

The Nelson Provincial Museum will receive funding of $1.046 million (GST exclusive), provided that there is confirmation by the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust that: each of the Nelson City Council’s and the Tasman District Council’s contributions of $1.800 million capital funding (GST exclusive) and increased operational funding for out years have been included in their final

Annual Plans; and that a fundraising schedule for the community, corporate and other fundraising has been developed by the Trust and fundraising is progressing; and that long term storage for, and access to, the Nelson Provincial Museum’s nationally significant collections, particularly the photographic collection, has been considered and can be adequately housed in the future; and that the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust, the Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council have no expectation of any further funding from the Policy towards a regional research, archive and storage facility.

Should the Sarjeant Gallery Trust Board or the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust be unable to provide adequate evidence and levels of reassurance by the due date, the respective funding offer will be withdrawn and the 2004/05 application declined. If they successfully fulfil the conditions by 31 August 2004 the government will be in a position to confirm the offer.

ENDS

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