The Whangārei Art Trust Board, formed prior to the museum's opening in 1996, is charged with the governance of the Whangarei Art Museum.

A Trust Board, comprised of seven trustees, is responsible for governing the Whangārei Art Museum. Four trustees are approved by Whangārei District Council (WDC) and the Trust appoints the other three trustees.

The Whangārei Art Trust (WAT) actions and direction are determined by the Trust Deed, which details the Trust’s objectives. These include the operation of the Art Museum, and the requirement to support, stimulate and enhance the artistic and cultural life of the Whangārei district.

As the majority of trustees are WDC-appointed, WAT is referred to as a Council Controlled Organisation (CCO), but it is entirely independent in terms of operation and governance.

This independence is essential to protect the Whangārei Art Museum’s charitable status. It ensures the museum retains eligibility for charitable funding, and that it remains the appropriate organisation to receive artworks from benefactors who wish to make bequests to an organisation that operates in the interests of the greater community.

The operation of the Whangārei Art Trust is audited annually by Audit New Zealand and reports to the community on a regular basis.

The Whangārei Art Trust Board Members

Bill Shepherd QSM (Chair)

Bill brings extensive business and governance experience to his role as a Trustee for the Whangarei Arts Trust.

His business experience extends across dairy farming, forestry, engineering and information technology.  Much of his business experience has been in governance roles as well as management.  He has specialised in not-for-profit governance in the sport of hockey, farming representation (Federated Farmers), business promotion (Enterprise Northland and the Northland Business Development Trust) and local government (Chair of the Northland Regional Council).  He is a keen supporter of all sports and the arts.

In both hockey administration and Federated Farmers, he rose to national leadership roles.

Councillor Ken Couper

Councillor Ken Couper (Bream Bay ward) is the WDC appointee on the HAPT Board. He is currently a trustee of the Otamtea Vet Club, and the WDC appointee on the Northland Chamber of Commerce Board.

Ken is a fourth-generation dairy farmer living in Waipū, and also works as a Justice of the Peace. His previous governance experience includes being on the board of the Northland Foundation, the Waipu Primary School board of trustees, and until recently acting as the Chair of the Waipū Museum.

Hana Maxwell

Hana Maxwell is a committed hapu member of Ngatihau and Te Waiariki in Whangārei.  She is now retired.  Hana has a B.A. in Applied Arts from NorthTec, a Master of Art & Design from AUT, and is currently completing a PhD in Indigenous Studies at Te Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.  She loves art, music and people of other nations; their environments, customs and contributions to stopping traditional and nuclear warfare.

David Sinclair

Eileen McNaughton

Eileen has experience working with the not for profit sector in New Zealand and overseas. She was a founding Trustee of Wellington Circus Trust, now in it’s 18th year and currently also sits on the Northland Craft Trust. For her day job she works as a software engineer.

Bronwyn Dalley

Bronwyn has been active in the arts, culture and heritage sector since 1993. She has worked as an historian and senior manager in the public service, and for some years taught in the Museum and Heritage Studies programme at Victoria University. Bronwyn’s not for profit work in Whangarei includes serving on the Northland Craft Trust, and the Whangarei Museum and Heritage Trust.

Wiremu Stone

Wiremu Stone was born and raised in Whangaruru and is of Ngātiwai decent. He has a Bachelor of Business Analysis degree (major in accounting) from the University of Waikato. He previously worked at a Big 4 accounting firm for 5 years where he also completed his Chartered Accountancy with the Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand. He currently works at Whale Watch Kaikoura where he also serves as the company secretary.