The stars aligned this month for a meeting at Wellington's Government House between Governor-General Sir Jerry Mateparae and representatives of the Sarjeant Gallery Trust.
The meeting was part of the Sarjeant Gallery's nationwide fundraising campaign and involved senior curator Greg Anderson, trust chairwoman Nicola Williams, and Whanganui mayor Annette Main, who is also a gallery trustee. They met Sir Jerry in his role of patron of the Sarjeant Gallery - a role shared by his wife Lady Janine.
The scope of the project to redevelop the gallery was discussed, together with progress on the fundraising and the strength of community support around the country for the project.
Mr Anderson said the gallery had a long-lasting connection with governors-general - in more recent years, Dame Catherine Tizard, who is a strong supporter of the redevelopment, Sir Michael Hardie Boys, who opened Legacy, the royal portrait exhibition when it came to the Sarjeant, and latterly Sir Jerry. Mr Anderson said it was important to meet the gallery's influential patron in person and that there was a sense of continuity.
"The foundation stone of the Sarjeant Gallery was laid by Lord Liverpool in 1917.