Sir Bob Harvey new patron of Quarry Arts

BOB'S YOUR UNCLE: Art patron and self confessed "wild Westie", Sir Bob Harvey, former mayor of Waitakere City, now closely related to Whangarei.

The Quarry Arts Centre has scored a coup after Sir Bob Harvey agreed to be the community art provider's patron.

The former six-term mayor of Waitakere City, which is now part of Auckland City, is passionate about the arts and readily accepted the craft trust's invitation to become its patron.

Quarry Arts Centre Trust chairman Matt Keene said it is exciting having Sir Bob as the new patron.

"As well as having a huge amount of governance experience in his roles on the boards of Auckland Waterfront Development Agency, the NZ Film Commission and Te Papa, Sir Bob is a great supporter of the arts in New Zealand," Mr Keene said.

"He also has a national profile and amazing connections that we hope to capitalise on as we raise the Quarry's profile, grow the Quarry Fires membership and develop a strong philanthropic programme to support artists and craftspeople in our community."

He welcomes Sir Bob's support as the Quarry embarks on a raft of new initiatives in its quest to become a ceramics centre of excellence, in keeping with founder Yvonne Rust's initial goal.

Those initiatives include building a low emission wood fired kiln, boosting ceramics supplies for local practitioners and developing already established courses to cater for the wide range of skill levels and interests in ceramics craft and art. The board has also committed to a clay production feasibility study.