Home Gallery Fine Arts owner and curator Lucy Gardner said she was "exceedingly disappointed" when last month — while in Africa pursuing her work as a photographer — she received an email from the trust telling her to be out this month. She had put her "heart and soul" into establishing the historic precinct gallery over the past two tourist seasons and "felt it added significantly to the experience people have when visiting the precinct".
She understood the new tenant would use the top floor of the Loan and Merc building for jacket storage. While she had been allowed to temporarily share the space with the new tenant, giving up roughly a third of the gallery and allowing them access from February 20, she would be forced out entirely in April.
After her first six-month season, her agreement with the trust had been month by month, but the trust "hadn’t signalled that they had other plans for this space", she said.
She believed the new tenant had made "a considerable offer", and she had since tried unsuccessfully to negotiate a new deal with the trust, failing also to reach a compromise, or find an alternative location in Oamaru suitable for the gallery.
In an emailed statement, Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust chairwoman Kate Proctor said the trust was "not prepared to discuss details of our commercial arrangements", but offered "general comments".
"The trust occasionally lets space on a temporary basis, and often for peppercorn rents so that the spaces can at least be used until a better opportunity comes along. Such tenancies are let on the very clear understanding that there is no guarantee of anything longer than a limited period of time.
"Those better opportunities that the trust is looking for can be in the form of more appropriate businesses that attract people to the area, or businesses that will give the trust some much-needed funding to continue its restoration work. The ideal result is to achieve both of these goals, though that is not always the case."
Oamaru artist and longtime Harbour St tenant and advocate Donna Demente said the trust’s decision showed a lack of commitment to the arts and culture.
"I think it’s appalling. I’m amazed. I’m amazed that decision has been made. Anyone we mention it to is shocked and appalled. It’s just dreadful. And I don’t understand what’s going on. I think they [the trust] need to really come clean about what’s happening because that’s just so counter to everything that they have put out there."
She was no longer a member of the trust. In the past, all the trust’s tenants would have been made aware of such a decision, she said.
Related Stories
Comments
Rough especially if her gallery is being moved out for a jacket storage area.
Still there is plenty of empty space in the Oamaru CBD. I m sure rents should nt be horrific especially if she is prepared to be flexible both with the site and how many artworks she displays. With word of mouth and social media promotion hopefully the Gallery can survive at a new site.
I couldn't believe it. I have been wanting for a decade to visit the South Island, including Oamaru, because of its higher standards of architectural and artistic significance. I visited this gallery and the idea that a forum for local artists in such a beautifully lit attic with natural woods was going to be turned into a warehouse? They would easily do this in New York, but south New Zealand? Shocking and disgraceful.
This is bad news indeed. The Fine Arts Gallery has been one of the main reasons for us to stop over in Oamaru with visitors from overseas. The Harbour St location is perfect for exhibitions, and it will be very hard if not impossible to find a similarly suitable location. We sincerely hope that the decision can be reversed, or a compromise be found. Kia kaha, Lucy!
I am a Canadian tourist and on my way through Oamaru I visited the Fine Arts Gallery. I think it would be a very short sighted move for the Civic Trust to terminate the current lease and it would be an even greater loss for the City of Oamaru's tourism industry. I was impressed with the stores in downtown Oamaru and rather than just stopping for a coffee on my way to Christchurch, I ended up spending half a day in Oamaru and financially supporting 6 businesses within the 2 block area. It is the total atmosphere of this collection of galleries and eclectic shops that makes this area of town work. I would suggest that the Civic Trust members review their overall objectives of their organization and I hope that they come to conclusion that an art gallery is the most suited tenant for the space. Thank you Lucy for the wonderful time I got to spent at your gallery today. It was magical.