About us
The Blumhardt Foundation is an innovative partnership-based initiative established to celebrate the extraordinary richness of New Zealand decorative art and design.
We will celebrate this richness through four main strategies:
- 1. Collections Collections: collecting and preserving the finest examples of New Zealand’s decorative art, design objects and archives
- 2. Celebrating Excellence Celebrating Excellence: through exhibitions and publications
- 3. Championing Artists, Designers and Makers Championing Artists, Designers and Makers: supporting their practice and professional development
- 4. Engaging Learning Experiences Engaging Learning Experiences: through workshops, discussions and lectures
The foundation has established curatorial, educational, archival and financial partnerships who share our vision and desire to further these objectives. We seek additional partners who share our commitment and love of applied art and design so that New Zealand artists and designers may have extended opportunities to learn and exhibit.
If you share this vision and want to support New Zealand artists and designers please go to:-
History of the Foundation
Dr Doreen Blumhardt, Photo by Nick Servian
The Blumhardt Foundation was established in 2003 to realise the desire of founder Dr Doreen Blumhardt, life long potter, arts educator and author, to use her collection and estate to further the collection and development of applied arts and design in New Zealand during and beyond her life time.
The Blumhardt Foundation is the outcome of a long-held dream of mine – to ensure that New Zealand’s rich tradition of decorative art and design is celebrated, cherished and nourished.
The Foundation aims to work with others to assemble and preserve rich collections of the very best examples and to build innovative programmes of engagement, education and participation around them.
Dr Doreen Blumhardt, DCNZM, CBE