About
Mahara Gallery background and governance
The Mahara Gallery is the district public gallery for the Kāpiti Coast. It was founded by artists and volunteers as a charitable trust in 1996. Its governance is the responsibility of a Board of Trustees. Currently there are six trustees, one appointed by Kāpiti Coast District Council.
The gallery operates out of the original Waikanae library building, provided by the Kāpiti Coast District Council. It receives some private financial support as well as funding from the Council to cover operational costs. The exhibition programme balances quality local and national content, works in partnership with local iwi and reflects the diversity of the Kāpiti arts community.
We are a registered Charitable Trust and our number is CC2970.
Guidelines for Exhibitions Proposals
Mahara Gallery Annual Reports:
Mahara Gallery 2021-2022 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2020-2021 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2019-2020 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2018 2019 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2017 2018 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2016 2017 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2015 2016 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery 2014 2015 Annual Report
Mahara Gallery Staff
Janet Bayly
Mahara Gallery director curator
Janet Bayly has been director curator of Mahara Gallery since 2006. Prior to that she was an independent curator specialising in photography. She has lectured in photographic histories, design and critical theory at Massey University (2000-2002), and UCOL (formerly Manawatu :Polytechnic) from 1994-1999. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (1976) and a Master of Fine Arts (1979) in photography, film and art history from Elam School of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, and has worked for numerous galleries and museums around New Zealand. She develops a very active programme of exhibitions and public programmes at Mahara which presents local, national and international artists, an innovative education programme and in particular exhibitions, research and publications around the Field Collection based on Frances Hodgkins’ early work.
Alex Rundle-Keswick
Part-time admin assistant
A graduate of Yoobee School of Design with a Diploma in Game Art and Development, Alex has been a long time volunteer at the gallery, and is now stepping into an administrative role.
Amanda Smart
Free-lance graphic designer
Amanda’s skills in graphic design provide the professionalism that is so important to the Gallery’s marketing, publications and media. She has a keen interest in Frances Hodgkins’ life and work and securing her legacy. Amanda has a Diploma in Visual Communication Design (Wellington Design School) and has worked in the educational publishing industry (Learning Media Ltd).
Mahara Gallery Trustees
Gordon Shroff – Chairperson
Gordon Shroff is a former senior civil servant with an interest in the arts. He graduated in History from Auckland University in 1967 and joined the NZ Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs, serving in New York, London and Samoa during his career. In the mid-1980s he headed the New Zealand Immigration Service. He was President of the Friends of Te Papa from 2012 to 2015 and served on the Friends’ Board for eight years. He was admitted as a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (CNZM) in 2004.
Glen Wiggs - Treasurer
Glen Wiggs has a background in law and marketing and has been a leader in regulation of advertising for over 28 years. He was Executive Director of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) in New Zealand for more than 14 years before establishing the Foundation for Advertising Research (FAR), which operates in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia-Pacific region. He was for seven years an Adjunct Professor of Advertising Regulation at the University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. He has also served on a number of arts-related organisations. He was admitted as a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2009
Queenie Rikihana-Hyland
Queenie Rikihana-Hyland is an Otaki-based author who trained as a journalist and worked for a number of publications in New Zealand and overseas as well as teaching at Whitirea Polytechnic. She is of Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Toa and Te Ati Awa descent and has endeavoured to represent her iwi on the Mahara Gallery Trust Board since 2001. She has been an Otaki Community Board member and served as a Ministerial representative of Te Wānanga o Raukawa Mana Whakahaere Board. She has recently been Raukawa nominee to the New Zealand Māori Council for three years. She is the author of Māori Myths and Legends, published by Reed.
Jill Griggs
Jill Griggs joined the Board during the 2020 year. She has an extensive background in public- and private-sector consulting work, starting as a business strategist in the engineering field and, more recently, managing legislative change in the public sector. She currently runs her own consulting business that provides facilitation, planning, governance and other similar roles to the private and public sector. She is also a mediator, professionally accredited by AMINZ.
David Shand
David Shand worked for the World Bank, International Monetary Fund and OECD before returning to New Zealand in 2006. He is a graduate in economics and accountancy from Victoria University of Wellington. He is currently an independent director of Auckland City Mission Housing Ltd. He was formerly chair of the Tertiary Education Commission, a member of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, chair of the 2007 Rates Inquiry and a director of Meridian Energy. He was a board member of the NZ Portrait Gallery for eight years and chaired its finance committee. He has held a financial advisory role in his iwi, Ngai Tahu.
Tonchi Begovich (Waikanae Community Board Representative)
Tonchi Begovich is a Registered Quantity Surveyor, a member of the Waikanae Community Board and Co-Owner of Diamond Residential Ltd a local Waikanae residential home builder. Tonchi also works as NZ Construction Manager for Bode a division of The Wellington Company group specialising in the design and precision off-site manufacture of affordable homes nationally. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the commercial and residential construction and build environment. He managed the development of the Ferndale eco hamlet in Waikanae and had a long association with aged-care developer and operator Summerset Group. Tonchi is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Quantity Surveyors and New Zealand Institute of Building.