Dunedin Public Art Gallery

06/07/2026

This week’s Artpost celebrates our recently opened interactive exhibition, And then…
The exhibition invites visitors of all ages to become storytellers. Inspired by Choose Your Own Adventure books, it encourages people to select artworks, build their own narratives, and share them with others.
Along the way, visitors can collect illustrated cards featuring the artworks and use them to create their own stories. Many of the works are small in scale, rewarding those who take the time to lean in and look closely.
The experience is completely free, and visitors are welcome to take their cards home to continue the storytelling experience.
Read the full article at the link below.
[Image: SASKIA LEEK Summertime 1 (Bicycle) 1999. Acrylic and varnish on board. Collection of Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Purchased 2025 with funds from Dunedin Public Art Gallery Society.]

Whenever I begin a new exhibition, I hold to a simple philosophy shaped by my teaching background: I imagine being in the gallery with visitors. I think about what I might ask them to do, what they might notice, and how the artworks might spark conversation. My intention is to create a space where l...

30/06/2026

This week’s Artpost features all the activities on offer at the Gallery during the upcoming July school holidays.

Find the details below, and view the full programme on our website: dunedin.art.museum

The year is coming to a close. Temperatures have cooled, and our focus has drawn upwards to the glimmering night skies. Over the coming weeks many of us will be gathering with loved ones to reflect on the past year and share sustenance through kōrero and kai. We invite you to huddle in the warmth ...

26/05/2026

Special Live Music Performance
With members of ‘Koile & guest musician Va

To close off NZ Music Month 2026, members of local Pasifika band, ‘Koile will perform a set in the Staying Power exhibition. Hiliako, Teu, Nio and Rangitakau will be joined by guest musician, Va to share some original and traditional songs from their repertoire of oceanic grooves.

Dunedin Public Art Gallery

FREE 3pm Sunday 31 May

25/05/2026

This week’s Artpost focuses on the exhibition Imogen Taylor: From Behind. It explores the themes running through the exhibition and takes a closer look at one work in particular: Horse.
See the link below for the full article.

Imogen Taylor: From Behind is on at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery until 13 September 2026.

[above: Imogen Taylor Horse 2026. Acrylic and dishcloth on canvas.Courtesy the artist and Lett Thomas, Auckland]

The exhibition Imogen Taylor: From Behind, which brings together a group of paintings produced by Imogen Taylor in Aotearoa New Zealand and London over the last four years, is currently on at the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Curated by Dr Kirsty Baker and developed by City Gallery Wellington Te Wh...

18/05/2026

Our warmest congratulations to Rudi Baur, founder and winemaker of Quartz Reef Wines, who has been awarded The Real Review Vigneron of the Year in The Real Review’s Top Wineries of New Zealand Awards. Quartz Reef was also recognised as one of New Zealand’s Top 5 Wineries.
Quartz Reef Wines has been the Gallery’s wine sponsor for more than 20 years, and we are delighted to see Rudi and Quartz Reef celebrated in this way.
It is so well deserved!

11/05/2026

Please note that Tour for Tots, scheduled for Tuesday 12 May at 10:15am, has been cancelled.

WE SINCERELY APOLOGISE FOR THE SHORT NOTICE AND ANY INCONVENIENCE.

06/05/2026

‘I make something for I think I can hear the song of other centuries and I want to join in’
J.S Parker, This Painters Song

Marshall Seifert (22.05.1939 – 19.04.2026)
Marshall Seifert was a singular figure in the community of Ōtepoti Dunedin, equally at home in a gallery or artist’s studio as he was courtside at the basketball. His life was enriched by a deep commitment to art and art history, reflected both in his career as an art dealer and his passion for collecting art and supporting artists in their lifetimes.

A connoisseur, Marshall’s knowledge of art extended across a wide range of disciplines. He gifted significant paintings, drawings, photographs and ceramics into the permanent collection of Dunedin Public Art Gallery, as well as regularly loaning works for the benefit of temporary exhibitions and long-term programmes. He was a generous host, always eager to share his collections and ideas with fellow art lovers. Marshall believed in the power of art to inspire people and broaden horizons, and Aotearoa New Zealand’s art community is much richer for the contributions he has made over his lifetime. The Dunedin Public Art Gallery team extends our condolences to the Seifert family.

Moe mai rā e te Rangatira

04/05/2026

Vale David Bell

Emeritus Professor David Bell dedicated nearly 50 years to shaping art education across Aotearoa. From his early teaching career at Waimate High School to leadership roles at King’s High School and the Dunedin College of Education, he influenced generations of students and educators.

A generous mentor and respected leader, David contributed to national curriculum development through NZQA and the Ministry of Education, and remained deeply committed to gallery education. At the Dunedin Public Art Gallery, he championed meaningful engagement with art, supporting educators and shaping programmes from 1997 onward. He also served on the Dunedin Art Gallery Society Council and chaired the Gallery’s Acquisition Committee for many years.

David’s passion for art, teaching, and community endured well into retirement. His legacy lives on in the many people he inspired, guided by his belief that "art can open doors—to curiosity, culture, and one another".

14/04/2026

Update for Wild Dunedin this weekend 🌿

Last weekend, Kate Stevens West led two fantastic printmaking workshops inspired by mahika kai — thanks to everyone who came along!

We’ve noticed that two additional workshop dates are listed in the Wild Dunedin printed festival programme for this weekend, but unfortunately, these were included in error.

There are no printmaking workshops running this weekend.

But there’s still plenty happening at the Gallery!

Art Making Table
Free drop-in sessions
Saturday 18 + Sunday 19 April | 10am–4pm
Get hands-on with drawing, colour, shapes, and a range of materials — a relaxed space to explore creativity at your own pace.

Over the Moon
A whānau-friendly exhibition celebrating the beauty and mystery of the cosmos. Featuring works by Michael Parekōwhai, Wayne Barrar, Francis Upritchard, and Ronnie van Hout, this exhibition invites all ages to look up, wonder, and connect with the universe above.

We’d love to see you here over the weekend.

08/04/2026

Delighted to share that the Dunedin Public Art Gallery has received an extraordinary gift — one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most significant private collections of contemporary art.

The Barr Collection, gifted by Jim and Mary Barr, brings 435 works spanning over five decades, featuring leading artists from Aotearoa and around the world.

This remarkable gift ensures the collection will remain in public care and accessible for generations to come. The Barrs’ long-standing support of bold, experimental artists has already helped shape the Gallery in meaningful ways.

A huge thank you to Jim and Mary Barr for their generosity ❤️

A well-curated relationship between a gallery and two art collectors has resulted one of New Zealand’s most significant private collections of...