Auckland Art Gallery director Kirsten Lacy steps down after six years
'The Auckland Art Gallery is a truly remarkable place and our mission to enrich lives through exceptional visual art encounters is deeply felt and lived every day by the staff and gallery whānau who devote so much care, insight, and manaakitanga to this task.'
Lacy joined the gallery in April 2019. The Australian began her career as an artist before working in several galleries, including a deputy director role with the National Gallery of Australia.
Nick Hill, chief executive of the council body, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), which oversees the art gallery, credited Lacy with increasing visitor numbers with ambitious and dynamic programming, growing commercial and donor engagements, adding major international works, and restoration work on the historic gallery building.
Earlier this year, Lacy and international art senior curator Dr Sophie Matthiesson went on a two-week trip to India to investigate a future exhibition late next year to align with Auckland's Diwali Festival. The trip, including return flights, accommodation, internal travel, and some meals, cost $20,301, TAU said.
One gallery staffer said they and other staff had concerns about the trip, given budget constraints, saying two weeks was too long.
Lacy declined to comment on the concerns.
She will finish up at the gallery on June 15.
'Following that, I will be taking some time to recharge the batteries and consider next steps, before my next big adventure,' she said.
An interim director will be appointed by TAU next week.
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