The Tauranga Art Gallery Trust is pleased to announce a range of new appointments in early 2022. Amazing women are joining their friendly team this year.
Serena Bentley, a former Curator at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), has been appointed the new Curator/ Exhibitions Manager at Tauranga Art Gallery.
Having resided in Australia for 14 years, this New Zealand-born art specialist is excited to be returning home to take up the position. She says: “It is evident that the Gallery occupies an important role central to the cultural life of the city and the wider Bay of Plenty. I’m excited to be working with the Director and the Gallery team to build on the Gallery’s rich programming and reputation by curating exhibitions and programmes that resonate with local, national and international audiences”.
Serena Bentley has previously worked in a range of high profile organisations in Melbourne, Sydney and Auckland, including the National Gallery of Victoria, Next Wave Festival, and Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki. In addition she has been an Australia Council for the Arts peer assessor, the recipient of a travel grant from the Ian Potter Foundation, and a curatorial resident at Cemeti Art House in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. She has also worked in leading private galleries in both Australia and Aotearoa, including Anna Schwartz Gallery, Melbourne, Roslyn Oxley9, Sydney, and Starkwhite, Auckland.
Other new appointments include Megan Cleverley as Business Development Manager and Leiona Tupou as the new Front of House Manager.
An active volunteer in the community, Megan Cleverley has substantial leadership experience, including her previous roles at Sport Bay of Plenty and Tauranga City Council. She is excited about building the capacity of the organisation to continue offering quality art experiences for the community. She also loves how the Gallery not only gives artists the opportunity to showcase their talents but also develops education programmes, which enable people of all ages and abilities to develop their creativity.
Last but not least, visiting the Gallery from now on you will likely be greeted by newly appointed Front of House Manager Leiona Tupou, who in 2021 graduated with a Bachelors of Creative Industries from Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology. Leiona is enthusiastic about her new role and is pleased to be able to offer leadership and training to the Front of House team.