Repairs to commence as Christchurch Art Gallery wins Museums Aotearoa award

Repairs to the Christchurch Art Gallery will soon get underway, after being given the go ahead by Christchurch City Council, while the Art Gallery has achieved national recognition with staff winning a prestigious Museums Aotearoa Award.

The Council is about to issue a series of tenders to specialist contractors, the first for repairing the foundations, says Christchurch Art Gallery Director Jenny Harper.

Harper explained "we're delighted that repairs will start soon, as Gallery staff share the public's desire to see this important cultural facility reopened as soon as possible. The repairs are significant, but at this stage we expect to re-open in the first half of 2015."

Though the primary structure performed extremely well during and after the earthquakes and there was virtually no damage to collections inside, over time, liquefaction under the gallery has bent its foundations and the Gallery's floors are no longer level. In a nutshell, the building will be lifted, the foundations re-levelled, the base isolated and the façade and interiors repaired.

Harper explained "the building is a home for our treasured art collections and this work will restore its integrity and ensure its resilience against any future quakes."

With over 6,400 works of art acquired since its foundation in 1932, the Gallery's collection is important and varied.

The Council will continue to work closely with insurers and their supporting engineers to determine the full extent of the insured damage and the best solutions at each step of the repair work, says Mayor Bob Parker.

Mayor Parker added "the final cost of the project is not yet available, as the tenders have not been awarded and negotiations with insurers are continuing."

Through last year's Annual Plan, and the community consultation that took place, the Council committed to repairing Christchurch Art Gallery to 100% of the new building code, with additional earthquake stabilisation work.

The project management contract for the repair of the Gallery was let to a local business alliance, Greenstone Pace, late in 2012.

In the meantime, the Gallery runs an extensive programme of exhibitions in alternative spaces throughout the city, as part of its Outer Spaces programme so Christchurch people can continue to enjoy art.

The Gallery's recognition at the Museums Aotearoa awards saw it win in the Project Achievement Award Exhibition Excellence Art category with their innovative Outer Spaces programme.

A delighted Jenny Harper was pleased with the win, saying that it showed that the Gallery is operating at a high level nationally despite the challenges it has faced since the earthquakes.

Harper stated "it is always good to get recognition - but there's something special about receiving awards from your peers. We have won a number of Museums Aotearoa Awards in the past and it is important to maintain our high standards as we continue bringing art to the people of Christchurch even though our building is closed."

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