The City has been continuously responsible for the Gallery’s operation and development of its heritage listed building ever since, including a number of incremental modernisations, a major extension to the original building in 1971 and the advent of the New Gallery in 1995.

While others have generously met the capital cost of these more recent expansions – the P.A. Edmiston Trust, and a coalition of supporters led by Jenny Gibbs and Alan Gibbs, respectively – the City has remained principal funder and manager for more than 115 years.

The City also provides a recurrent annual grant to develop the Gallery’s collection – ensuring the currency and growth of its major asset and acting as a catalyst to the support of others – as well as undertaking its other capital works and renewal programmes.

The Art Gallery Enterprise Board provides the governance of the Gallery on behalf of the City. Chaired by a Councillor, it includes two additional Councillors, the chair of the Maori Advisory group, the chair of the Mackelvie Trust and a representative of the education sector.

On behalf of the City the board is responsible for providing general oversight of the Gallery’s strategic and business planning, its policy making and its performance against agreed financial and programming goals. The board meets approximately 6 times per year.

The Gallery is a Group within Auckland City’s Customer Services Directorate. It employs a full time equivalent staff of 68 and has a total staff of about 100. While the City provides operational and capital works funding the Gallery earns 33% of its net operating cost annually.

The Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki is provided by Auckland City. Together, they work in partnership with others in the community – sponsors, trusts, patrons and the like – to enable Aucklanders and visitors to Auckland to experience the best in New Zealand’s art.