A bold new era for art in Waitaki: meet Ōamaru’s transformed Forrester
Published on 13 October 2026
As dawn broke over Ōamaru on April 20, 2026, a traditional blessing led by Justin Tipa and Te Rūnanga o Moeraki opened more than new doors at the Forrester Gallery — it opened a bold new chapter for art, culture and creativity in Waitaki.
The unveiling of Mahika Kai Mahika Toi — The work of food, the work of art — has transformed Ōamaru’s much-loved gallery into a place of possibility: a contemporary home for exhibitions, education, community connection and the treasured stories of this place.
Five months after the reopening of Waitaki District Council’s Forrester Gallery and its new extension, Culture and Library Manager Chloe Searle is proud to be helping guide the Waitaki public art gallery and collection into its next era.
“Art is woven through this community. Waitaki is full of makers, collectors, learners and people who simply love the chance to be moved, challenged or inspired by creativity,” Chloe said.
The extension also breathes new life into J.M. Forrester’s original dream.
When John Meggett Forrester left a bequest for a public art gallery in 1965, aged 99, he may not have imagined a contemporary extension and purpose-built collection store sitting alongside the 1884 neo-classical landmark that bears his name. But Mahika Kai Mahika Toi carries that vision confidently into the future, giving Waitaki one of New Zealand’s standout regional galleries.
“The development of the Gallery was a shared dream held by Gallery Directors and the Friends of the Forrester Gallery for more than four decades, with fundraising and bequests helping make this long-held ambition possible,” Chloe said.
Waitaki Mayor Mel Tavendale said Council, led by Chloe, applied for two major grants towards the project and was successful with both: $400,000 from Lotteries Environment and Heritage and $6.5 million from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage’s Regional Cultural Heritage Fund.
The Friends of the Forrester, supported by the Gallery team, also secured funding from 13 of the 16 grant applications they submitted to trusts and community groups.
Chloe said the work behind the scenes was intense, but seeing the doors open and visitors enjoying the new spaces made every late night worthwhile.
“There was a huge amount of work by current and former staff and the Friends to secure these grants. The $6.5 million application was understandably comprehensive, and I had a few late nights doing final checks to make sure everything was ready to submit, both online and in hard copy.”
“The project was also incredibly fortunate to receive support from the Regional Culture and Heritage Fund in its final funding round.”
“This project matters because it opens access across all three floors, improves care for the thousands of artworks entrusted to us, and creates a dedicated education space for hands-on creativity.”
“We are already seeing more visitors, especially on weekends. By the end of August, nearly 5,000 people had come through the doors since the reopening.”
Chloe and the team are excited about what the expanded Gallery makes possible: fresh collaborations with artists, more ambitious exhibitions, hands-on programmes and new ways for the community to connect with creativity in the heart of Ōamaru.
Gallery Curator Anna McLean says art plays a powerful role in community wellbeing, helping people connect with one another and understand the stories, identity and spirit of the place they call home.
Anna, selected as one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s Venice Attendants for the 2026 Venice Biennale, is among the country’s leading gallery professionals.
She helped bring the opening exhibition Paemanu: Kārakaraka Toi, a collaborative work by Paemanu Ngāi Tahu Contemporary Visual Arts, to Aotearoa New Zealand and the Forrester Gallery for the first time. The exhibition traces an artistic journey from the mouth of the Waitaki River to its source at Aoraki.
The Gallery has also hosted the George Burns Memorial Exhibition, an annual showcase of art from students across the district, and now features Mahi, Toi - an exhibition exploring manual labour in Mahika Kai Mahika Toi. The programme is expected to draw thousands more visitors, from Waitaki and beyond.
Mayor Tavendale said the extension delivers lasting benefits, including climate-controlled ground-floor storage for more than 2,500 artworks and a lift connecting all floors — something long celebrated by past and present curators and directors.
Other improvements include, visiting exhibitions now have a purpose-built loading dock leading directly to collection storage, removing the need to navigate the front steps or a narrow rear entrance.
On the first floor, Whēkau is the main gallery space, designed for everything from 19th-century paintings to contemporary audio-visual installations.
On the top floor, Kairuku Waitaki and Tarāpuka provide flexible meeting and education spaces for school groups, business events, art workshops and more — all with sweeping views over Ōamaru’s Historic Precinct and the Pacific Ocean.
The original building has also been refreshed. Visitors are now welcomed into a space showcasing local artists’ work for sale, along with the locally spun Waitaki Tartan, whose first 20 metres hang in Pouākai, the atrium linking the historic Gallery to its new extension.
Anna said the additional gallery space in Moa Hakahaka, the former storage basement, allows the team to rotate the collection more often and share more of the Gallery’s treasured artworks with local audiences and visitors from further afield. Ongoing funding and community support will remain vital to sustaining that momentum.
The Friends of the Forrester continue to support and fundraise for the Forrester Gallery and Mahika Kai Mahika Toi. Stair risers can be sponsored for between $500 and $650 with sponsor messages displayed on individual risers.
Exterior blocks of locally sourced Whitestone can also be sponsored for $99 - a tribute to the age J.M. Forrester reached before leaving the bequest that helped create the public art gallery enjoyed today.
ENDS
media@waitaki.govt.nz