Welcome to February everyone! I hope that your 2025 has started well and that it will deliver good outcomes for you all.

The world feels like a bit of an odd place right at the moment – with considerable international geopolitical change from the position twelve months ago and significantly increased global uncertainties that this change has already brought and will likely continue to bring.

Although we are on the other side of the world from where many of these changes are taking place, New Zealand is still exposed to the impacts and effects of many of these goings-on. This country almost always ends up feeling the financial pressures created and exacerbated by adverse overseas events and trends. These pressures show at all levels, in government, in business and other organisations, and right through to individual persons.

Te Papa obviously relies on government funding support (both national and local) to continue the provision of its highly valuable activities. In this regard, and in a competitive government funding environment at the national level, we have been fortunate to have a Minister of Arts, Culture and Heritage who has done as much as he can to ensure already cost-pressured organisations within his portfolio (like Te Papa) have not faced further challenges through funding reductions. And at a local government level Te Papa continues to enjoy economic support from the Wellington City Council.

In her very well-written opinion piece article published earlier in January, Dame Fran Wilde touched on some of the financial pressures facing Te Papa. The challenges in operating, maintaining and delivering a viable and attractive national museum offering that fulfils its cultural and social obligations, whilst at the same time meeting its legal mandates are very real.

But, in the face of these challenges, the continuing outstanding and enduring quality of the Te Papa offering across all facets of its wide-ranging operation are something of which Te Papa management and staff, and New Zealand as a whole, can be rightly proud. And as the Friends of Te Papa we are proud to support the museum in our own particular way. Continuing to successfully advocate for, increase awareness of, and represent and market Te Papa and its activities remains our core focus.

Right now, running from mid-January to April 27, Te Papa has the honour of being the very first venue to host the global tour of the Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition. Designed and curated by the house of Vivienne Westwood, this touring exhibition dives into the extensive history of jewellery design and creation by the Vivienne Westwood house. Having seen the exhibition I can say that it is magnificent, and a must-see event with very wide appeal. Vivienne Westwood’s story is told through a series of rooms, each meticulously curated with distinct decades of design, allowing visitors to journey through time from the 1980s to the present day – exploring eclectic pairings of jewellery and garments, and accessories, evoking the fashion house’s iconic style. Full details relating to the exhibition itself and an extensive programme of supporting events available to the public through the duration of the exhibition can be found on Te Papa’s website.

The Friends of Te Papa are offering special members-only events connected to the exhibition, with guided tours of the exhibition and curator talks to enable Friends to get close and informed access to the exhibition. Full details of these events can be found on the Friends’ of Te Papa Facebook page and our website.

Apart from the Vivienne Westwood exhibition we have a busy 2025 programme already underway and there will be much to offer you, our members, as the year progresses. We have overseas tours already underway or planned in the next couple of months, as well as a number of local events to attract your interest. Further information on our programme can be found on our website and Facebook pages.

We encourage you to support our programmes and to encourage your friends to join you as a friend of Te Papa.