Whanganui Community Foundation grant boosts Sarjeant Gallery education programme

Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery's education programme will be extended with the help of a $20,000 grant from Whanganui Community Foundation.

A $20,000 grant from the Whanganui Community Foundation is a “timely” boost for Te Whare o Rehua Sarjeant Gallery’s education programme.

Gallery director Andrew Clifford said the funding would have “an immediate and meaningful impact”, enabling an increase in teaching hours and more capacity and reach to benefit students and the wider community.

The gallery’s education activities provide curriculum-aligned learning experiences to thousands of tamariki and rangatahi across the Whanganui region every year. The programme, which is free for schools, is led by educators Sietske Jansma and Vanessa Edwards-Buerger who design and deliver sessions inspired by the gallery’s exhibitions and its nationally significant collection.

“The $20,000 grant comes at a critical time. Since the gallery returned to its redeveloped historic site on Pukenamu in November 2024, it has experienced exceptionally strong visitation numbers and enthusiastic engagement. Strengthening the education programme now ensures it is even better positioned to meet the increased demand from schools and educators, and reintroduce key offerings that were scaled back during the redevelopment period.”

Clifford thanked the Whanganui Community Foundation for recognising the importance of the programme.

“This grant allows us to extend our educators’ hours, which means more learning experiences offered to more members of our community,” he said.

“The education team plays a vital role in building long-term relationships and community engagement. With this funding, we can build on that success and enrich our community’s wellbeing, resilience and inclusion through accessible art experiences at the gallery.”

The Sarjeant’s education programme had long been recognised as a benchmark for regional galleries in Aotearoa, he said.

“It plays a pivotal role in fostering creativity and critical thinking, encouraging students to connect with art in ways that are meaningful, relevant and fun. The additional support provided by the Whanganui Community Foundation will allow for deeper collaboration with schools, the development of new learning resources, and outreach to communities who might otherwise face barriers to accessing arts education.”

Whanganui Community Foundation manager Din Bandara said the grant reflected “a shared belief in the value of creativity and lifelong learning”.

“The Sarjeant Gallery’s education programme is one of the most effective and well-regarded learning services in the region,” Bindara said.

“We are proud to support this work with a grant which will extend the capabilities of the programme and ensures its accessibility to young and old alike. We believe that fostering creativity builds resilience, curiosity and pride in place - values we care deeply about.”

The grant will allow the gallery to respond to immediate needs while also laying the groundwork for the long-term strategy of the education programme.

The education team will deliver its youth conference, Big Art Day Out, for Year 12 and 13 visual art students at the gallery on Wednesday, August 6. The Big Art Day Out is a day of talks and workshops for students interested in making art, learning about the creative industries or finding out more about a career in the arts.

Schools or groups interested in learning more about the Sarjeant Gallery’s education programme can contact education@sarjeant.org.nz.