Mahara Gallery: a short history

Mahara Gallery began in 1995, founded by co-directors Fay Bresolin and Robin Rogerson, along with many volunteers, artists and arts supporters who wished to see a public gallery developed on the Kapiti Coast. It was established as a Charitable Trust in 1996, and moved to its current location in what was Waikanae Public Library (built 1977) in Mahara Place.

The first professional Director, Gerald Barnett, was appointed in 2001. Since 2002 the Gallery has received its major funding from Kapiti Coast District Council on a three-yearly basis. The Partnership Contract entails presenting a programme of at least six exhibitions a year in a wide range of media, which balance quality local content within a national context, work in partnership with local iwi, and reflect the diversity of the Kapiti arts community. Within a mostly contemporary art focus, we also produce cultural heritage-based projects.

Current Director, Janet Bayly began in 2006. The Real Art Roadshow Charitable Trust has supported Mahara’s professional development alongside launching its two shows here (the only public gallery venue) in 2007 and 2008. New internal walls and an enclosed entrance (2008) have provided more internal exhibition walls, leading to New SPACE being made available for local emerging and established artists. Further funding is raised on a project-by-project basis for individual exhibitions through grants and Pub Charities, fundraising ventures, subscriptions and private donations, and business sponsorships such as that of Mission Hall Creative.

Mahara Gallery has developed and toured three major exhibitions with associated publications:

Frances Hodgkins, The Link to Kapiti, The Field Collection, Mahara Gallery (2000)

Songs of Innocence: Photographs of a New Zealand Childhood by John Pascoe, Pacific Press and Mahara Gallery (2004)

Joanna Margaret Paul: Drawing, Auckland University Press and Mahara Gallery (2006).

How to exhibit

Guidelines for artists approaching Mahara Galley for exhibition opportunities

Please send us the following:
Post to Janet Bayly, Mahara Gallery, 20 Mahara Place, Waikanae
or email janet.maharagallery@paradise.net.nz

1. A brief biography – age, background, education, previous exhibitions, publications
2. A portfolio of up to 10 images (if emailing please send jpeg images)
3. A brief outline of current concerns in your work

Spaces

Mahara Gallery can be divided into 2 or 3 exhibition spaces (see attached plan).

The largest space is often used for group or thematic exhibitions, curated by Mahara Gallery, by a visiting curator, or a touring show developed by another gallery. There are only one or two solo exhibitions per year in the large gallery space, of which one is a major survey of a significant Kapiti-based artist.

The smaller galleries (named New SPACE) have been created over the past 18 months with some new walls and partitions being built. There are 3 bays, so they can be used in a variety of ways. Either they hold a larger show such as The Real Art Roadshow which requires the whole gallery, or they can hold smaller one, two or three-person shows.

There is a data-projector in the rear gallery and a large screen, which is at times used for screening documentaries related to shows in the larger gallery. It can also be used by New SPACE artists for installation or film-based exhibitions.

Policy

As part of our Partnership Agreement with Kapiti Coast District Council, Mahara Gallery’s major funder, we produce a diverse programme that reflects the diversity of the Kapiti arts community, works in partnership with local iwi, and produces at least six exhibitions in a wide a year in a wide range of media which balance quality local content within a national context. While most of our shows are contemporary in focus, we are also involved with developing local identity through cultural heritage-based projects.

Priorities

For the past 18 months New SPACE has been available specifically to Kapiti and Horowhenua-based artists, both emerging, mid-career and established artists. Occasionally the space may also be made available to another smaller show by an artist from outside the Kapiti-Horowhenua region, at the Director’s discretion.

Programming

We plan 18 months to two years ahead, although some smaller shows may come in within a shorter time-frame. There is some flexibility within this, but it is unlikely that most proposals from artists will result in a show within a year of their approach.