$15 MILLION RAISED FOR HUNDERTWASSER ART CENTRE

With just a month to go until the referendum deadline, more than $15 million has now been raised for the Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery.

Optimism is high among the project group as support and momentum, locally and nationally, continues to grow in the final month.

Recently there has been a donation of $100,000 from an anonymous benefactor and more than $40,000 raised from the recent Boosted campaign.  Additionally, about $18,000 raised from a special event in Auckland has contributed to the recent surge in support and donations.  Art shop sales have also spiked and with the imminent release of a new print by Michael Smither sales are expected to keep climbing.

With the project edging closer and closer to the referendum target of $16.25 million, it is getting hard to keep hopes in check, says Project Director Andrew Garratt.

“We have real momentum now. The Boosted Campaign reached 105% of our target with 6 days to go and the HART event in Auckland raised $14,000 from the sale of artwork. The Hundertwasser HQ volunteers are reporting that people are lined up at the shop door waiting for it to open and the donation box has never been fuller.”

“This high calibre of support from our local community, nationally recognised artists, politicians, benefactors and art lovers around New Zealand gives me high hopes that we will see this amazing vision of Friedensreich Hundertwasser come to life.

“That being said, we aren’t there yet and there’s still plenty of work to be done so please do see how you can get on board and support the project.”

Follow the project on the project’s Facebook pages for updates during the final crucial month: Whangarei Loves Hundertwasser and Hundertwasser HQ.