Sunday, November 05, 2006
Thank you, Bob. Welcome everyone to the Dowse; I’m delighted to see so many of you here today. It’s a real thrill and pleasure to be in the company of fellow art lovers.
Today is an opportunity for me as Mayor and the Council to thank you for your support of the Dowse and provide a ‘sneak preview’ of the progress to-date.
I’m very fortunate that my office is just across the road so I’ve been able to keep an interested eye on construction, but for many of you this will be the first opportunity to see what’s been happening over the past few months. I’m sure you won’t be disappointed with how things are taking shape.
It’s exciting to think that in just three months the Dowse will be re-opening to the public. It will be one of the biggest things to happen in our city for a long time, with three weeks of events and activities planned in February to celebrate the occasion.
The Dowse will be the most cutting edge art museum in the country, an important cultural asset for Hutt City and the Wellington Region, and a major attraction for people visiting Hutt City. It will be to Hutt City what Te Papa is to Wellington City. It’s going to be great!
The refurbishment and extension of the Dowse has been an ambitious project. It has, in no small part, been made easier due the extraordinary generosity of donors such as yourselves. Thank you for everything you have done to help make the dream of many people a reality.
The Dowse Foundation also deserves our thanks for its magnificent fundraising. You have put in an amazing amount of time and effort raising money and we are very grateful.
I also want to thank the Friends of the Dowse for their support. It’s heartening to know people care so much about the Dowse and are prepared to work with us to make it the best that it can be.
I want to pay special mention to Doreen Blumhardt and the Blumhardt Foundation for their partnership. The Blumhardt Gallery is going to be a fantastic addition to the Dowse.
The Council is proud to have also played its part. We are committed to providing residents access to arts and cultural facilities that enrich, inspire and offer a range of lifelong learning opportunities. The Dowse is the most obvious example of this.
Much can be achieved through collaboration and partnership, and the Dowse is proof of that. I again thank you all for everything you have done.
The Council is working hard to make Hutt City the best little city in New Zealand. The place where you can have your Pavlova and eat it too. The Dowse has an important role. It acts as a focal point for the community, enhances cultural life and diversity and promotes public pride and community values.
It’s an exciting time for art in our city. I’m co-founder of the Hutt Valley Public Art Trust, and am passionate about seeing public art sprinkled around our city.
My vision over the next few years is for art to be displayed in public spaces, thereby increasing the public’s access to and appreciation for art. So stayed tuned for developments in that area!
Further, some of us are in the process of starting up our own Festival of Music and similar events. Also, I recently formed the Hutt International Relations Boards to better organise our cultural, educational and business links overseas.
The Dowse is a true treasure in our city, and one that is enjoyed by many, many people. Thank you to everyone involved in the project. I hope you enjoy touring the Dowse, and that it makes you as excited as I am about its future.
It’s my pleasure now, to invite Dowse director, Tim Walker, whose drive and vision has led as to this point, to come up and say a few words. That’s all from me, but to say “Roll on February”!
Thanks, Tim.