Sustaining Local Arts and Crafts - Whangarei Art Museum

Whangarei Art Museum in New Zealand is a historically acclaimed arts and crafts centre which is also the sole public gallery found in Northland. It is a one stop shop for those who wish to explore the city's ancient and contemporary work of art.

Whangarei Art Museum also known as WAM opened its doors to the public in June 1996. Housed in a striking building, the museum occupies a superb location in charming Cafler Park and lies next to the conservatory and Fernery. It is also positioned adjoining the cultural amenities of Forum North Theatre. The museum serves as the place that hosts internally curated and national touring exhibitions which are created to display the diversity and dexterity of local creative art.

Dedicated to enhance the attention towards visual arts among both locals and international visitors, WAM has been the venue for some great exhibitions. For instance, the Heta Power and Fragility exhibition held in 2004 showcased the skills of artist Mark Cross who exhibited the devastation caused by a cyclone in the island of Niue. There was also the exhibition titled 'Selected works by Four Northland Artists'. The latter include work executed by artists Quinton Carrington, Vaughan Gunson, Andrea Hopkins and Wilson O'Halloran.

Noteworthy past exhibitions at Whangarei Art Museum also include 'Ghandi' that featured portraits and images of Mahatma Gandhi, Shade House Installation, photographs from the Seresin Family collection, Tears for Tane's Children, Celebrating Matariki and much more.

The award winning Northland resident Len Castle's Mountain to the Sea is the latest exhibition that is being displayed at WAM. Plumb Lines, which is defined as a 'Survey of the Visual Landscape through the Surveyor's Lens' is an exhibition that can be looked forward to at the Whangarei Art Museum.