The Friends of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre

10/10/2026

🌧️ A rainy Sunday and the last day of the school holidays? Perfect excuse for a gallery visit!

Today is your last chance to experience Direct Bodily Empathy—Sound, Signal, Feedback at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre.

Explore an immersive world of sound, movement and unexpected sensory experiences. Something a little different to round off the school holidays!

🎨 A great outing for the whole whānau, whatever the weather!

👉 https://govettbrewster.com/whats-on

10/10/2026

28/09/2026

🎨 School holidays are here – and there’s plenty to discover at the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre!

These holidays, bring the tamariki along for a programme that mixes art, science, imagination and play, inspired by the Gallery’s current exhibitions.

And there’s so much more to experience while you’re there. The exhibitions invite you to explore art with more than just your eyes – through sound, movement, space, colour, texture and your own physical experience of the Gallery. It’s a great opportunity for young visitors to discover that art can be something you see, hear, move through and respond to.

🧪 Chemistry Art: Where Science Meets Creativity!
Fri 2 Oct & Mon 5 Oct | 10.30am–12pm
Experiment with kitchen science and dyes, inspired by Direct Bodily Empathy - Sound, Signal, Feedback.

🚦 Stop, Go, Create
Wed 30 Sept & Wed 7 Oct | 10.30am–12pm
Explore colours, shapes, symbols and textures while putting your senses to work.

♻️ Ready to become a future inventor?
Mon 28 Sept & Fri 9 Oct | 10.30am–12pm
Turn recycled materials into eco-machines, futuristic transport and sustainable cities, inspired by Economies of Deferral.

🎬 Plus, holiday movies in the Len Lye Centre Cinema, including free screenings of The Last Moa and Kiri and Lou Go Raaa! ($10).

📅 School holiday programme: 28 September–11 October
👧 Suitable for ages 4+
🎟️ Workshops are FREE – no bookings required
👨‍👩‍👧 Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Come along, get creative and experience the Gallery with all your senses these school holidays. 💛

25/09/2026

A successful AGM for the Friends 🎉
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre on 15 September.

It was a successful evening, with a chance to reflect on the past year, celebrate growing membership and successful Friends events, and look ahead to the year to come.

A special thank you to our guest speaker, Marilyn Davies from the Taranaki Foundation, for sharing her insights with us, and to everyone who contributed to the conversations throughout the evening.

We’re also delighted to have our 2026 Friends Committee confirmed and look forward to introducing the team to you properly very soon!

Thank you to our members and supporters for continuing to be part of the Friends community. ❤️

14/09/2026

📣 A reminder – our AGM is tomorrow!

We’d love to see you at the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre.

📅 Tomorrow – Tuesday 15 September
🥂 5.00pm – Meet and greet with drinks
📍 Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre

We’re delighted to welcome Marilyn Davies, Trustee of the Taranaki Foundation, as our guest speaker. Marilyn will talk about the benefits of endowment and foundation investment, followed by the formal AGM.

Snacks will be provided, and it’s a great opportunity to catch up with fellow Friends and hear more about what’s ahead.

See you tomorrow!

08/09/2026

📣 One week to go – Friends AGM

A friendly reminder that the 55th Annual General Meeting of the Friends of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre is coming up next Tuesday.

📅 Tuesday 15 September 2026
🥂 5.00pm – Meet and greet with drinks
📍 Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre

The formal AGM will follow the guest speaker, with snacks provided.

Current financial members are also welcome to put themselves forward for Committee positions on the night. New Committee members are warmly welcomed!

We’d love to see you there. 💛

For further information, contact [email protected]

08/09/2026

Gallery Seniors: Join Puke Ariki Pictorial Curator Natasha McKinney for a guided tour of the Kiingi Tuheitia Portraiture Award exhibition.
Explore a powerful collection of portraits from across Aotearoa and gain insights into the stories, people and ideas behind the works.

Friday 11 Sep | 10AM
Meet at the Puke Ariki Museum Foyer
Optional coffee and conversation at Arborio Cafe at 9.30AM

A great opportunity for seniors to connect with art, culture and conversation.

Proudly supported by the Friends of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre

03/09/2026

🎨 Free family art this September!

A lovely way to spend a Sunday morning together at the Govett-Brewster. Drop in, get creative and explore art as a whānau - free and open to all. ❤️

Four Sundays throughout September, starting this weekend!

👇 Check out the Gallery’s post below for all the details.

Free Toi Mā Te Whānau | Family Art sessions this September
Inspired by our exhibition programme, these creative drop-in sessions are designed for the whole whānau to enjoy.
Explore new materials, build new stories and learn together.

Sundays | 10.30AM - 12.00PM
- 6 Sept
- 13 Sept
- 20 Sept | Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori
- 27 Sept
For more details visit govettbrewster.com/whats-on

24/08/2026

A thoughtful perspective worth sharing.

Jaenine Parkinson, Chief Executive of Museums Aotearoa, reflects on the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre and the broader value of caring for our cultural collections and artistic heritage for generations to come.

We appreciate this contribution to an important conversation about the Gallery and its future.

👉 Read the full article:
https://www.thepost.co.nz/nz-news/360793994/more-budget-line-len-lye-centre-and-battle-over-our-art-legacy

22/08/2026

A full house, great art and a wonderful welcome for Megan Dunn! 🥂

Thursday’s Art After Hours was officially sold out – and what a fantastic evening it turned out to be.

We started in the galleries with Curator Contemporary Art Simon Gennard, who led us through Economies of Deferral, sharing some of the stories, ideas and context behind this remarkable exhibition.

Then came the chance to properly meet Megan Dunn, the new Director of the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery | Len Lye Centre.

Megan brings a wonderfully varied background to the role – as a curator, arts leader, critic and writer. Her distinctive writing on contemporary art and culture has appeared widely in Aotearoa, and she is the author of books including Tinderbox and Things I Learned at Art School. We loved hearing more about the journey that has brought her to Ngāmotu and getting a glimpse of the energy, curiosity and humour she brings to the Gallery.

Thank you to everyone who came along and made the night such a success. There was a real buzz in the Gallery, plenty of conversation and, judging by the photos, quite a few smiles too!

📸 Have a look through the photos – if you spot yourself or someone you know, tag away!

And a very warm Friends welcome to Megan. We’re looking forward to what comes next. ❤️