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.

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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 

Kathryn Roberts
Former Tax Partner PWC

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

Greg Ambler, Deputy-chair
Specialist trust, estate and succession solicitor at TGT Legal

Nigel Borell MNZM
Artist, Curator 

Gregory Burke

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.

Leigh Melville

Judy Millar
Artist, Inaugural McCahon House Artist-in-residence

Dr. Albert Refiti
Associate Professor, AUT School of Art and Design

Jessica Riddiford

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

Staff

Jude Chambers - Executive Director

Tamara Rakich - Operations Manager

Simran Saseve-Dale - Engagement Manager

Debra East - McCahon House Museum Docent

Jack Cathro - McCahon House Museum Docent