AUCKLAND.- Tātaki Auckland Unlimited announced the appointment of Dr Zara Stanhope as Director of Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, the city’s leading public art gallery and home to the most extensive collection of national and international art in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Dr Stanhope will start in the role on 2 March, 2026 and will lead the Gallery’s strategic direction while overseeing its collection, exhibitions, education and public programme. The Gallery will continue to give priority to the art of Aotearoa New Zealand and toi Māori, alongside a strong programme of international art that engages audiences in Tāmaki Makaurau and beyond.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited Chief Executive Nick Hill said he is pleased to welcome Dr Stanhope back to the Gallery.

“We look forward to Zara shaping the next chapter of the Gallery’s future. With experience leading strategy and programming and knowledge of art from across Aotearoa and Te Moana nui-a-Kiwa, Asia and South America she is well placed to expand the reach of the Gallery’s extensive collection and share New Zealand stories with more communities. Her involvement working with supporters including kaumatua, cultural advisory, foundations and friends groups will provide a renewed commitment to connecting audiences with artists and their ideas, which are vital to society today.”

With more than 30 years’ experience across Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, Dr Stanhope is a highly respected arts leader, curator and researcher. She has lived and worked in both countries and has been based in New Zealand on and off for the last 25 years, bringing a strong understanding of the local arts context and its place in the wider Asia Pacific region.

Most recently, she was the Ringatohu/Director of Cultural Enterprises at New Plymouth District Council where she oversaw the Govett-Brewster Art Gallery/Len Lye Centre, Puke Ariki museum and library and the district’s community libraries. She has held senior roles at some of New Zealand’s and Australia’s leading art galleries including Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA) in Brisbane, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Heide Museum of Modern Art in Melbourne, Adam Art Gallery, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington, and Monash University Museum of Art, Naarm Melbourne.

Dr Stanhope says, “It’s an honour to re-join the dedicated team at Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to begin the next phase of how the Gallery can offer value locally, nationally and internationally, while building upon the exciting forward programme of exhibitions, educational activities and art-related events. I look forward to working together to ensure our commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and uplifting artists of Aotearoa, Te Moana nui-a-Kiwa and our region within purposeful public programming and in the collection.

“I am sad to leave my colleagues at Cultural Experiences – and kaitiaki, kaumatua, foundations and friends – who have taught me much about the collective value created by communities. Similarly, I acknowledge those who come before me at Auckland Art Gallery and anticipate collaborating on future opportunities.”

Over her career, she has curated more than 50 exhibitions, including New Zealand’s presence at the Venice Biennale in 2019 and led the Asia Pacific Triennials at QAGOMA in 2018 and 2021.

Dr Stanhope holds a PhD from the School of Art and Social Sciences at the Australian National University, Canberra and has been the commissioning editor of books including Ann Shelton: Dark Matter (Auckland Art Gallery) and The Māori Portraits: Gottfried Lindauer’s New Zealand, co-edited with Ngahiraka Mason (Auckland University Press and Auckland Art Gallery).