As we prepare for a new season of activity and connection, it feels right to begin by acknowledging someone who has shaped the Friends community with exceptional care. After almost three years with us, Holly Erwin is moving on to her next chapter. Holly has been the quiet force behind so many of our programmes, ensuring that the Friends — and the friends they bring along — have enjoyed a varied, engaging, and thoughtfully curated range of experiences. Her warmth, professionalism, and genuine interest in people have left a lasting imprint on our organisation. We wish her every success and extend our heartfelt thanks for everything she has contributed.
Now that summer has finally arrived (even if it is officially autumn), it’s the perfect moment to start planning some fun activities for yourself. Don’t forget to look at the events programme on our website. The West Coast Loop Tour invites you to take in sweeping Westcoast landscapes and history with our special historian, Richard Willis. Closer to home our Members discount event explaining the influences of artists, poets and dancers in the development and delivery of Breathe Mauri Ora is a must do event.
With Holly’s departure, I’ve been reflecting on the qualities she modelled so naturally: attention, patience, and the ability to notice what others might overlook. These ideas sit beautifully within the theme of “The Art of Looking Slowly.” In a world that encourages speed, there is something deeply grounding about pausing long enough to let details reveal themselves. The tour led by Museum Education Specialist, Laura Jones will explore techniques that deepen attention and enrich the way we encounter art, concentrating on the Slow Burn: Women and photography| Ahi Tāmau: Māreikura Whakaahua, which showcases the diversity of photography by women and non-binary artists in Aotearoa New Zealand from the 1960s to today.
March is Francophonie Month and the Friends are thrilled to welcome renown art historian David Maskill who will talk about the Hidden Secrets of the Louvre between 1608-1806. This was a period of civil upheaval and Paris was transformed from a religious war-torn city into a total monarchist capital of Europe and the epicentre of the Enlightenment and the arrival of Napoleon. David will guide us beyond the familiar masterpieces and into the stories tucked quietly behind them – be quick, this event is free and has limited places.
As we thank Holly for her remarkable service, let’s carry forward the spirit she brought to the Friends: attentive, curious, and open to the beauty that reveals itself when we take the time to truly look.