It’s free but LLC wants your donations
Visitors to the Len Lye Centre are now being asked to make donations as the centre tries to increase revenue.
The New Plymouth District Council’s Len Lye Committee met on Monday to discuss a report on how the centre was doing, how it was attracting people to the region and issues around paying for the construction and maintenance of Len Lye’s kinetic sculptures.
Entry into the centre is free but council manager of recreation and culture Teresa Turner said they had started asking visitors for donations after Christmas and had been collecting between $400 and $1000 a week. ‘‘Donations are lumpy. They will rise and fall depending on the numbers.’’
Visitors were 50 per cent ahead of forecasts, which was great for tourism and great for the regional economy, Turner said, with the accommodation, hospitality and retail sectors the biggest winners.
The popularity of the centre was not without cost. Centre director Simon Rees said the increased number of people through the building had had a profound effect on the humidity and it was necessary to keep the centre at a certain temperature.
‘‘So the energy bill had gone up.’’ The bills to maintain the kinetic sculptures were also an issue brought about by the centre’s suc- cess. Where they used to be displayed on an annual basis, they sculptures were now performing every day of the year, he said.
Concerns were raised by the committee over how many kinetic sculptures would be on display this year with some on loan to other galleries but Rees said there was plenty of artwork to fill the centre. Len was an artist for 60 years and only did the kinetics for 20, Rees said. So they had 40 years of his other work to mine for exhibits.
Committee member Harry Duynhoven was one of a number to sing the centre’s praises.
He said every new project in the New Plymouth District was controversial when it was first suggested, including Pukekura Park and Puke Ariki.
‘‘The Len Lye Centre is a real gem. There are a few teething troubles, but there are ways to overcome them.’’
Mayor Neil Holdom said the centre had been a fantastic success. It was an amazing piece of architecture and he was proud to point it out to visitors.
Councillor Colin Johnston said the centre had put the region on the map, whether people liked it or not.
Councillor Shaun Biesiek, infamous for having not visited the centre before, told fellow committee members he had recently gone and taken a look.
Whatever his opinion was on the centre was he said he had not been asked to make a donation despite that now being the done thing.
Councillors John McLeod, Murray Chong and Biesiek once again stated the centre should charge an entry fee.
McLeod said the top galleries in Europe all charged visitors.