Preserving and protecting cultural legacy and contemporary art practice, and to share it with all New Zealanders
The Trust
The Trust was established to preserve and protect cultural legacy and contemporary art practice, and to share it with all New Zealanders. In the first instance, this involved restoring the cottage in Titirangi where McCahon and his family lived in the 1950s (and where he painted a significant number of Aotearoa New Zealand’s national treasures), and opening it to visitors as a House Museum. Alongside this, the Trust built an apartment and artist studio next door and put in place a residency programme offering three residencies a year to mid-career NZ artists. Working towards our mission of connecting cultural legacy and contemporary art practice, we build public and education programmes that engage with and contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand's diverse art and culture.

Emma Fitts, White Azales 1 & 2 in the Bunkroom, 2018. Photo Credit: Neeve Woodward.
The Trust was established to preserve and protect cultural legacy and contemporary art practice, and to share it with all New Zealanders. In the first instance, this involved restoring the cottage in Titirangi where McCahon and his family lived in the 1950s (and where he painted a significant number of Aotearoa New Zealand’s national treasures), and opening it to visitors as a House Museum. Alongside this, the Trust built an apartment and artist studio next door and put in place a residency programme offering three residencies a year to mid-career NZ artists. Working towards our mission of connecting cultural legacy and contemporary art practice, we build public and education programmes that engage with and contribute to Aotearoa New Zealand's diverse art and culture.
Patrons
Rt Hon Helen Clark ONZ SSI
Former Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme
Former Prime Minister of New Zealand and Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage
Sir Bob Harvey
Chairperson Waterfront Auckland
Former Mayor Waitākere City Auckland
Author
Treasurer
Graeme Heap
Chartered Accountant, retired (40 years experience)
Trustees
Lisa Bates MNZM, Chair
Trustee Mackelvie Trust, Former Board Member NZSO, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Regional Facilities Auckland, Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision, The Big Idea Charitable Trust, Friends of St David’s
Charlotte Hellaby, Deputy-Chair
Former Deputy Chair Saint Cuthbert's College and Vice-Chair Auckland Decorative and Fine Arts Society
Greg Ambler
Specialist trust, estate and succession solicitor at TGT Legal
Graeme Burgess
Conservation Architect
Sue Gardiner MNZM
Chair Chartwell Charitable Trust, Co-Director Chartwell Collection Trust, Trustee Auckland Art Gallery Foundation, Member University of Auckland Centre for Arts and Social Transformation (CAST) Advisory Board, former Trustee Artspace Aotearoa and Eden Arts Community Arts Trust. Art writer and art tour guide.
Kathryn Roberts
Former Tax Partner PWC
Deborah Rolland
Art patron. Former senior academic Unitec Institute of Technology.
Kim Smith
Art patron. Trustee Objectspace, Vice President Costume and Textile Association of NZ
Judy Millar
Artist, Inaugural McCahon House Artist-in-residence
Dr. Albert Refiti
Associate Professor, AUT School of Art and Design
Nigel Borell MNZM
Artist, Curator
Staff
Vivienne Stone - Executive Director
Tamara Rakich - Business Manager
Yoojung Suh - Public Programmes Manager
Jack Hadley - Public Programmes / Education Manager
Debra East - McCahon House Museum Docent
Jack Cathro - McCahon House Museum Docent