Suter tells Tasman to give more funds
The Suter Gallery is doing well, but needs more funding from the Tasman District Council.
Chairman of the Bishop Suter Trust Craig Potton said it currently receives about 12 per cent of its ‘‘base grant funding’’ from the TDC, but according to the trust almost 30 per cent of local visitors come from the Tasman district.
‘‘This is not Nelson’s gallery, this is a gallery belonging to the people of Nelson and Tasman,’’ he said, while presenting the halfyearly report to the council’s governance committee on Thurs- day. ‘‘We went to the TDC and we gave them a very clear message that they are underperforming,’’ Potton said.
He said the trust had carried out ‘‘extensive surveys’’ and found that 27 per cent of all local visitors came from the Tasman district, along with 23 per cent of its education program participants.
He said the shortfall of funding from the TDC was covered not by any funding from Nelson City Council, but by trading income.
Currently 40 per cent of the gallery’s funding comes from its trading income, not including donations.
‘‘The problem there is if we’re having to cover non-recoverable costs [with income instead of funding], then that doesn’t leave us the income to cover depreciation.’’
When he presented his proposal for more funding from the TDC, it was ‘‘very clear, even from the response in the room, that we will have to work to further escalate that point with them’’.
TDC Communications officer Beth Catley said the Suter has submitted to the TDC’s long term plan asking for a review of the grant.
‘‘The funding we give the Suter has been static at about $87,000 since 2014-15.
‘‘In its submission, the gallery has asked us to increase the grant progressively between now and 2027-28, plus adjustments for inflation,’’ she said.
The TDC is holding hearings on its long term plan this week, and enter deliberations in early May.
A final version of the Long Term Plan, including any changes to the Suter’s funding, will be adopted on June 28.