Volunteers are being sought to help enrich the visitor experience provided by the Museum and art gallery spaces at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi.  

A collaborative effort between the Whakatāne District Library and the Museum and Arts teams, the initiative aims to boost community involvement in the facility, while also providing visitors with a more engaging experience, as well as some local knowledge.

Victoria Sinclair, Exhibitions Coordinator Museum and Arts, says they are looking for a diverse group of people, both young and old and from a variety of backgrounds, to share their local knowledge and appreciation of art.

“Visitor Hosts would be rostered on for regular weekend hours, and in future, may also assist with exhibition events in the galleries,” she says. “Primarily though, they will help to explain the histories within the permanent museum display and provide background to our changing exhibitions. So being able to talk with people and tell a few good stories about our rich history is definitely what we are looking for.”

David Dowd, a former District Councillor and regular volunteer at Te Kōputu since its opening in 2012, says the Visitor Hosts have an important role to play, but that anyone can get involved. “You don’t have to be a great historian, or an artist, or to have lived in Whakatāne all your life,” he says. “On-the-job training will be given, and I can’t think of a better place in which to give a little time back to our community. It’s a great way of displaying the pride we have in the history and heritage of the Whakatāne District.”

An information session is planned for Saturday, 10 September, from 2:30 to 4 pm at Te Kōputu. Anyone wishing to find out more about the volunteer visitor host programme can email visitorhost@whakatane.govt.nz, call 07 306 0509, or check out the Visitor Host Programme page.