Celebrating and inspiring the love of arts in our community.
The Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery is a dedicated volunteer organisation, incorporated society, and registered charity that has supported South Canterbury’s public art museum since 1976. Their mission is to foster a love of the visual arts in the community and to assist the Aigantighe Art Gallery in its stewardship of art and culture. The Aigantighe is one of New Zealand’s most beloved regional art institutions and for nearly 70 years, the Aigantighe Art Gallery has enriched the cultural life of Timaru and South Canterbury. Their members are the friendly faces you see at opening nights. Their base of volunteers and supporters give their time, energy, and passion to ensure the gallery thrives as a cultural hub for all.
The Aigantighe Art Gallery is a public art museum and a key cultural asset of the Timaru District Council. It is housed in a beautiful 1908 homestead that was gifted to the city of Timaru in 1955 by the Grant family, along with artworks and furnishings. From this foundation, the Aigantighe (which means “home of welcome” in Scottish Gaelic) has grown into one of New Zealand’s most significant regional public galleries.
Its permanent collection was built on gifts and bequests from the local community and now holds more than 1,800 artworks. The collection represents a rich spectrum of artistic voices, from nationally recognised names to significant local contributors. National artists represented include Douglas Badcock, Don Binney, Keith Blight, Olivia Spencer Bower, Jo Braithwaite, Nigel Brown, Dean Buchanan, George Butler, Leslie Campbell, George Chance, Russell Clark, Lindsay Crooks, Bill Culbert, Phil Dadson, John Drawbridge, Jacqueline Fahey, William Ferrier, Anthony Fomison, Jock Fraser, William Gibb, William Greene, John Gully, Sir James Guthrie, Pat Hanly, Chris Heaphy, Dame Louise Henderson, John Liddington Higgs, Frances Hodgkins, Ralph Hotere, Evan Jones, Emily Karaka, Sandra Kelly, Thomas Kennington, Yuki Kihara, Tony Kuepfer, Doris Lusk, Marian Maguire, Dame Eileen Mayo, Colin McCahon, Patti Meads, Fiona Pardington, Albert J. Rae, Ann Robinson, Francis Shurrock, Francis A. Shurrock, Grahame Sydney, Edwyn Temple, Petrus Van der Velden, Gordon Walters, Malcolm Warr, Marilynn Webb, Christine Webster, Colin Wheeler, Robin White, Toss Woollaston.
Examples of a range of artists who have work in South Canterbury's Significant collection include Mike Armstrong, Trevor Askin, Douglas Badcock, John Badcock, Rosemary Campbell, Judith Cordeaux, Lindsay Crooks, Betty Curnow, Austin Deans,, Roselyn Fauth (nee Cloake), Maria Foley, Geoff Cloake, Colin Higgins, Lynn Kerr, Vicky King, Rua Pick, Edwin J. Poulston, Rachel Ratten, Polly Rowe, Francine Spencer, Paul van den Bergh, Philippa Wilson, Jessie Wigley and many many more.
In addition to supporting programming and events, the Friends also actively purchase artworks—sometimes through direct commissions—and donate them to the gallery’s permanent collection, helping it grow and remain contemporary, relevant, and reflective of Aotearoa’s evolving art landscape.
Members of the Friends contribute an annual subscription, which helps the group to:
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Sponsor special exhibition openings with catering, music, and community welcome
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Fund conservation and restoration of important artworks
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Purchase and commission artworks for donation to the gallery
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Support Friends endorse projects such as the WuHoo Timaru public art signage initiative
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Encourage arts education through projects like Artarama and Polychrome
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Advocate for the gallery’s future, accessibility, and infrastructure
- Support the arts in South Canterbury and help the Friends of Aigantighe advocate for improved collection storage, spread awareness that the Aigantighe is a public gallery owned by the Timaru District Council, and celebrate the value of our shared cultural legacy. Join the Friends, donate, or consider gifting artwork or funds in your will to help future generations thrive creatively. Every contribution ensures artists are honoured, collections are protected, and the arts remain a vital part of our region’s identity.
The Friends welcome everyone to the Aigantighe Art Gallery—to enjoy the art, participate in exhibitions and events, and be part of a vibrant and inclusive arts community. Openings hosted by the Friends are a fantastic opportunity to meet artists, hear their ideas and passions, and connect with others who share a love of culture and creativity.
Legacy that The Friends of the Aigantighe Art Gallery (Established 1976) have contributed to the arts in South Canterbury
Fundraised for multiple projects and equipment.
Gallery extension (1978).
Stereo system and 50 chairs (1980).
Yamaha grand piano (1987) from Betty Manning and Stephen Newman.
Sculpture Garden fundraising via garden parties.
Commissioned bronze sculpture by Francis Shurrock for 1978 opening.
Supported professional conservation and UV-filtering upgrades.
Provided administrative and reception volunteer support for 24 years.
Fundraised for and donated funds to help aliviate storeage pressure on the art collection store.
The Friends of the Aigantighe have raised over $4,000 to restore 15 artworks, with 11 more in progress, creating a lasting legacy of care that preserves and protects South Canterbury’s art heritage for future generations.
The Friends funded the restoration of over 15 artworks, including paintings, drawings, etchings, and sculptures.
They prioritised the conservation of works on paper affected by foxing to reduce storage pressure and protect the collection.
They raised and spent over $4,000 on conservation through fundraising and donor support.
They made fragile and damaged works safe to display, returning them to public view.
They continued to fundraise for the restoration of 11 more artworks.
They improved the condition of the collection to support exhibition, education, and long-term care.
Arty the Art Car was a colourful, mobile artwork used by the Aigantighe Art Gallery to promote creativity and engage the community at events, schools, and parades.
Championed the restoration of the Heritage House, funded vital art and gallery enhancements, and built a thriving community of volunteers and advocates to keep the gallery at the heart of Timaru life.
"Visual Art is essential to a thriving community... for the object it produces, and the act of creating, the support it gives to artists, and the ways people connect with it. It helps us reflect on the world through our own lens and the lens of others, showing us where we’ve come from, who we are, and where we are going. I love art because it is a unique way to entertain, provoke, shine value, educate, and inspire. It shapes how we feel and understand the world around us. It connects us. It’s not always nice. It could offend. It may not match our curtains. It might even be something we think we could have made ourselves… There is no wrong or right. It’s okay to feel differently. It just is—ready to be engaged with. Without art, we lose not just beauty, but empathy, dialogue, identity, and inspiration. We must collect it, share it, encourage it—for a thriving community. The Aigantighe is so much more than the art on the wall. It is the people who makes the art spirit come alive."
— Roselyn Fauth, past president and supporter for 25+ years
The author Virginia Woolf in "To the Lighthouse" said " That Art is the Centre of Life" I've always loved that as I first started visiting Aigantighe in 1971 and took hundreds of students there too. A good idea would be to sponsor a visit by a couple of classes to come to say Artarama and treat them to a kids morning tea. Juliet Crawford. - Friends volunteerand supporter for 25+ years
“Aigantighe and the gallery, represent for me a scented visual rose that enriches my soul. To pause, look, ponder and appreciate an artist’s creation is a special gift that can provoke response. I ask myself, why do I like/dislike this piece? Is it visually comfortable, or uncomfortable, why? If you allow it to, I have always found art, in all its forms, will speak beyond itself to challenge and enrich my life.” - Ian Hanley HanFord Whare.
Membership & Subscription Info
Membership Benefits
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Help the group support the arts in South Canterbury
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Invitations to Friends-hosted exhibition openings
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Newsletters with gallery updates and project news
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Opportunities to support specific restoration and educational initiatives
- Opportunities to donate to art aquisitions and restorations
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A warm, supportive community for art lovers and makers alike
Annual Membership Rates (renewable on July 1 each year)
Join By Email & Internet Banking Email your name, postal address, phone number, and email to the membership manager and pay sub via internet banking. Visit the Friends of the Aigantighe online for more information.