News
Young art lovers establish a presence in the Gallery - 24 Jun 2010
Eighty-five senior students from local secondary schools congregated at Tauranga Art Gallery on Monday evening to launch the Young Friends of the Gallery.
The group has been formed to encourage young art lovers to extend their knowledge and appreciation of art through dedicated visits to the Gallery, floortalks, discussions and visits to other galleries and artists’ studios. Many of the students are studying art in school and their involvement with the ‘Young Friends’ group will assist them with their studies and help them gain a better understanding of the industry with a view towards a possible career in the arts.
As Gallery Director Penelope Jackson said, one of the hardest jobs at the Gallery was to get people to make their first visit.
“Because the Gallery is only two and half years old, as a younger student many of you will have never visited a gallery. Now we have about 8,000 students a year coming through. Visiting a gallery can become a normal activity and this is a good starting point for when you go on your overseas travels and get to visit galleries and museums all over the world.”
“Over the next decade you will make the most important decisions about your lives regarding education, careers and partners. But make a few minor decisions too – like being culturally savvy.”
The ‘Young Friends’ group was the brainchild of the gallery’s Education and Visitor Programmes Manager, Grant Thompson and coordinated by Jess Stringer, with the aim of encouraging young people to have an active involvement in the arts.
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