Being

The Chartwell Project began in the early 1970s and has grown to encompass a broad range of charitable activities, collecting and support for the arts.

  • 1970
    Early projects raising funds for a public gallery in Hamilton, New Zealand, led to the development of The Chartwell Trust, a charitable entity to support the visual arts.
  • 1974
    The first Chartwell Collection acquisitions are made.
  • 1982
    Chartwell opens the Centre for Contemporary Art, Hamilton, New Zealand - a public contemporary art gallery and storage facility established for the Chartwell Collection.
  • 1985
    First Australian artworks enter the Chartwell Collection.
  • 1987
    The new Waikato Museum of Art and History opens.
  • 1991
    'Cross Currents: Contemporary New Zealand and Australian Art from the Chartwell Collection' exhibition held at Waikato Museum of Art and History.
  • 1993
    The Chartwell Collection moves to the Waikato Museum of Art and History under a new loan agreement.
  • 1994
    After 134 contemporary exhibitions, the final Centre for Contemporary art exhibitions are held.
  • 1997
    The Chartwell Collection moves to long-term loan to Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, with then Mayor Les Mills publicly signing the agreement.
  • 1999
    A programme of Chartwell exhibitions begins at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki.
  • 2011
    The Creative Thinking Project is established at the University of Auckland. After six years of construction the developed Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki building reopens to the public on 3 September 2011. Chartwell was one of the inaugural donors to the redevelopment project.
  • 2015
    The Creative Process, a Stage One General Education course is launched at the University of Auckland.
  • 2017
    Squiggla programme is launched.
  • 2019
    Creative Thinking research projects are extended at the University of Auckland.

Original plans for the Centre for Contemporary Art, Hamilton (the building was formerly the old Hamilton Hotel).

The Centre for Contemporary Art, now closed, was developed in a building acquired for the purpose, the old Hamilton Hotel, the renovation of which became the subject for commissioned photographic documentary portfolios by photographers Robin Morrison and Kees Sprengers.

The CFCA rapidly became a site for art discourse in New Zealand, with its programme of non-commercial New Zealand and Australian exhibitions. It provided a national alternative artspace and was committed to growing a local audience for contemporary art. On occasion, the exhibition programme facilitated the collecting of works.

Kees Sprengers, Hamilton Hotel prior to renovation, commissioned photographic series, 1982

The re-design of the Chartwell logo - drawn by Rob in 2003 and created by Inhouse Design

Publications

JOHN NIXON: ABSTRACTION, published by Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tamaki and The Chartwell Trust, for the exhibition JOHN NIXON: ABSTRACTION, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki 22 April 2017 – 19 August 2018

Shout, Whisper, Wail - the 2017 Chartwell Show, Digital catalogue, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, Natasha Conland. The digital catalogue, featuring interviews with all exhibiting artists is available for viewing here:
https://youtu.be/nUuU6O4MOGg 

A World Undone: Works from the Chartwell Collection, 2014, Auckland Art Gallery, Stephen Cleland

Made Active: The Chartwell Show, 2012, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, Natasha Conland

Snake Oil: Recent Chartwell acquisitions 2002 - 2005, Robert Leonard, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 2005

Nine Lives: The Chartwell Exhibition, Robert Leonard, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 2003

Big Bang Theory: Recent Chartwell Acquisitions, Allan Smith, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 2002

Multistylus Programme: Recent Chartwell Acquisitions, Allan Smith, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 2001

The Chartwell Collection: Recent Acquisitions, Allan Smith, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 2000

Home and Away, Contemporary Australian and New Zealand Art from the Chartwell Collection, William McAloon, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, David Bateman Ltd, 1999

The Chartwell Collection: Acquisitions 1997, William McAloon, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki, 1997/ 98

The Chartwell Collection: Acquisitions 1996-1997, Auckland Art Gallery, Toi o Tāmaki

Rob Gardiner speaking at the Home and Away opening, 1999.