Sarjeant Gallery door charge debate continues as rates requirement hits $4.88m

Last year three councillors pushed for a $15 Sarjeant Gallery entry fee for out-of-towners.

Debate continues over a potential door charge at Whanganui’s Sarjeant Gallery, which reopened to the public last November.

Last year, councillors Rob Vinsen, Philippa Baker Hogan and Ross Fallen pushed for a $15 fee for out-of-town visitors.

Speaking at hearings on submissions to the council’s annual plan last week, acting Sarjeant Trust chairwoman Annette Main said there were a lot of pitfalls in introducing a charge, and extra resources would be required.

“We have to do things like determining origin for people,” she said.

“Are they from Whanganui? Are they from outside Whanganui?

“Are they someone who maybe gave us $1 million?”

Artist Rick Rudd, also speaking at the hearings, said a charge was introduced at the gallery in the 1990s during his time on the Sarjeant trust board.

Visits and donations plummeted, and it was removed after three months, he said.

Elected members were divided on the issue when approached by the Chronicle last year, with former Sarjeant Gallery Trust chairwoman Nicola Williams labelling the idea “total poppycock”.

Vinsen said ratepayers were paying an average of $200 a year for gallery operations.

“Can you give us some reason why people who go to the Splash Centre or Cooks Gardens are charged, but there isn’t an acceptance for charging at an art gallery?” he said.

Main said Whanganui residents were already paying more for the gallery than expected and should not pay to enter.

There needed to be a full year of data before any decisions were made on a fee for out-of-towners, she said.

“It’s too early to have a discussion because we don’t have the full information.”

From November 9 (opening day) last year to May 1, the gallery had 74,024 visitors, according to its electronic door counters.

Main’s submission to the council said the gallery expected more than 90,000 visitors annually, with visitor donations likely to reach $18,000 in the first year.

Sarjeant Trust chairwoman Annette Main says there are a lot of pitfalls in introducing a door charge. Photo / NZME

It had taken New Plymouth’s Govett-Brewster Len Lye Centre six years to get visitor numbers back to where they were after a door charge was introduced in 2018, the submission said.

Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told the Chronicle introducing a charge could bring unintended consequences.

“There is certainly evidence that if you charge for gallery entry, the numbers reduce,” he said.

“What’s the spill-on effect on the wider economy – accommodation, hospitality and retail spend?

“I’d rather know the answers to those questions before we start shooting from the hip.”

Vinsen said a percentage of the Len Lye Centre’s door charge went to its foundation, the equivalent of the Sarjeant’s trust.

“Last year, [Len Lye Centre] got $93,695,” he said.

“Would that be an advantage for the Sarjeant trust, to receive a percentage of any door charge?”

Main said that would “not sit comfortably with us”.

“If you were to introduce a door charge, it would be to reduce the cost on the ratepayer.”

Deputy Mayor Helen Craig asked if any fundraising from the trust was earmarked for gallery operations.

The rates requirement for running the Sarjeant in 2025/26 is $4.88m.

Historically, money from the trust’s endowment fund has gone towards the gallery’s redevelopment, its collection, exhibitions and education programmes.

The trust was not limited in what it could provide money towards, and fundraising was “certainly going on”, Main said.

“I’m asking [the council] to involve us when you have the [door charge] discussion, and make sure we’ve got a full year of operation.

“A lot of people don’t realise just what we can gain from it, right across the board.”

A full financial report and project review of the gallery’s redevelopment is expected by the middle of the year.

Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.