Eastern Southland Gallery

Housed in the attractive 1909 vintage converted Carnegie library building in central Gore this gallery has a small and regionally focused permanent collection spanning 100 years of southern art history, and an exhibition programme that changes every three weeks. This community art gallery hosts an ongoing programme of temporary exhibitions and much of its annual programme is activity based.

Presentations include thematic visual art, craft and performance pieces from Southern Aotearoa, touring national and international exhibitions, and individual performers including musicians, writers and actors. The gallery also administers a community visiting-artist programme involving workshops and residencies.

Nic-named the ‘Goreggenheim’ by Saatchi & Saatchi boss Kevin Roberts, this regional public art museum features permanent exhibitions of national and international note:

The John Money Collection: is a large body of New Zealand, Australian, African and American works of art, amassed over 50 years by Baltimore based expatriate NZ academic Dr John Money, and gifted to the Gallery in 2003. Key items include paintings by Rita Angus and Theo Schoon (NZ), Lowell Nesbitt (USA), Bambarra, Dogon and Baga carvings from West Africa, and paintings and carvings from Elcho Island (Aust).

The Ralph Hotere Gallery: contains graphic works and paintings by major NZ contemporary artist Ralph Hotere. With one of the largest Hotere collections in the country, the gallery offers a programme of rotational exhibitions.

The Eastern Southland Gallery also has two exhibition galleries offering a range of temporary solo, touring, and group exhibitions – plus a range of performances, workshops and artist projects.