Tauranga Art Gallery Welcomes New Director

Tauranga Art Gallery's new Director Stephen Cleland and whānau were welcomed alongside Ngai Tamarawaho mana whenua and invited guests on Friday January 15, a very exciting start to 2021.

Cleland brings a wealth of experience and personal ambition to the role, having worked in the competitive New Zealand art scene in a professional capacity for 15 years both as a curator and in leadership positions. He joins TAG from the Adam Art Gallery Te Pātaka Toi at Victoria University of Wellington, where he has held the position of Curator since 2015.

Speaking about his new role Cleland said he is “attracted to the scale of Tauranga Art Gallery and the opportunity to lead a dedicated team and an important regional art organisation.” He adds: “Tauranga is a city that will only continue to rise in its national standing and it’s exciting to have the opportunity to contribute to the cultural fabric of the city through developing an ambitious programme with leading international and New Zealand-based artists”.

The Tauranga Art Gallery Trust Board and Gallery staff all look forward to working alongside Stephen.