Experience Wellington’s new vision
In a nondescript building off Wellington’s Plimmer Steps, Sarah Rusholme sits in her office with a glass of water, ready to speak after several weeks of lots of internal discussions – but barely a peep in public.
She was preparing to release the results of her internal consultation about overhauling Experience Wellington, the council-controlled arts organisation that runs City Gallery, Space Place at Carter Observatory, Nairn Street Cottage, Wellington Museum, the Cable Car Museum and Capital E.
‘‘Not everybody’s idea of what a cultural institution should look or feel like is the same as everybody else’s,’’ the Experience Wellington chief executive said.
Rusholme and Experience Wellington have been subject to intense criticism in recent weeks regarding the controversial restructuring, which Rusholme finalised this week.
Her changes come into effect on
Monday. How did things get to this point?
About two months ago, Rusholme put forward to staff a new proposed structure for the organisation, an ‘‘ongoing dialogue’’ with staff through surveys, emails and face-to-face conversations. After an initial staff consultation period, Rusholme revised the proposal and put this back to staff, before releasing it publicly on Wednesday.
The new structure is flatter, removing several senior roles at individual sub-organisations in favour of a more consolidated executive team, which will have authority across all six institutions.
The new executive leadership team is made up of a chief executive (Rusholme), and underneath her seven directors: of Ma¯ori engagement; art and heritage; exhibitions and project delivery; children, young people and community engagement; people, operations and visitor services; fundraising, marketing and communications; and finance and commercial.
All seven roles, except the Ma¯ ori engagement director, have been offered to staff already employed by Experience Wellington. The Ma¯ ori engagement position will be advertised externally.
Rusholme says the organisation has been working for about three years to improve its connection to te ao Ma¯ ori. An internal audit conducted by Victoria University of Wellington revealed ‘‘significant gaps’’ it needed to fill regarding inclusion of Ma¯ ori within the organisation.
At that point, Rusholme says, Experience Wellington began having conversations ‘‘with people throughout our ecosystem’’, as well as staff. The organisation also started annual wa¯nanga for staff, and established an internal team dedicated to advancing te ao Ma¯ ori.
‘‘It became a pou in our strategic plan,’’ she says, using the Ma¯ori word for stake. Over the last few years, she says Experience Wellington was able to bring more Ma¯ ori staff into specific roles. The organisation could not quantify that though.
Rusholme says there’s overwhelming support for the idea of a new director of Ma¯ ori engagement role and the successful candidate would help guide that work, as well as shaping the organisation’s tikanga (customs) towards a more bicultural
approach. While City Gallery has lost its dedicated director and chief curator in the restructuring, one of two new senior curator roles will oversee toi Ma¯ ori or Ma¯ ori art.
Iwi leaders were unaware of the restructuring when contacted by The Dominion Post two weeks ago. When asked about this, Rusholme pointed to Experience Wellington’s
iwi-affiliated trustees, Peter Jackson and Peter Johnson.
‘‘Maintaining the integrity of the process is really important . . . Connecting with our stakeholders and taking people on the next part of the journey with us is going to be really important,’’ she says.
During this period, Rusholme has been on the receiving end of a litany of complaints from Wellington’s arts sector, alleging a lack of external consultation, potential damage to reputation, donations and lending, no comprehensive risk assessment, and questions about the legality of the restructuring, something which the organisation disputes.
Rusholme isn’t fazed, saying it’s been ‘‘great to have that passion reflected to us’’.
‘‘For me, staff first and foremost. That’s what a confidential employment process is about – is listening to your staff,’’ she says.
She says the new structure will enable its executive team to ‘‘plan and procure better [and] leverage off each other’s networks’’.
The art/heritage director will have ‘‘vision for the content’’, while exhibitions/project delivery director will be responsible for big projects like City Gallery’s upcoming Hilma af Klint exhibition.
The children/community engagement director will be responsible for things like the gallery’s late nights and low-sensory hour.
Rusholme says the Wellington City Council, which provides twothirds of its funding, has ‘‘absolutely’’ been informed about the restructuring process, but has been removed from it.
Rusholme has been chief executive for one year.
While the organisation did not confirm whether she came into the role with a mandate to restructure, Rusholme says the pandemic forced it to think about how the world was changing, and how its new strategic plan should be reflected in its structure.
Prior to becoming chief executive in June 2020, she led Capital E as its director of children and young people, a role she held since 2016. Before then, she was Experience Wellington’s head of strategic development for six years. She was director of the Carter Observatory from 2007 to 2010. She had moved to New Zealand from the UK.
She says the restructuring is about making Experience Wellington ‘‘more sustainable’’ by connecting staff behind the scenes.
‘‘The world in which we operate has changed – is changing. We need to have organisations who can rise to meet that challenge and talented, passionate staff who can do so as well. And we’ve got that in spades.’’