Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa has announced the appointment of respected New Zealand art gallery director Julie Catchpole as judge for the 2026 Rotorua Museum Art Awards.

Catchpole recently concluded a 17-year tenure as director of The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū in Nelson, retiring last November.

“It’s a great honour to be asked to judge the Rotorua Museum Art Awards,” Catchpole said.

“These awards are a wonderful opportunity for artists, whether established or aspiring, to get their work out in front of the public, and with the extra possibility of receiving a generous award plus the recognition and encouragement that goes with it.”

Catchpole understands the connection between the awards and the Rotorua Museum redevelopment, having spearheaded The Suter’s award-winning redevelopment during her time in Nelson.

Proceeds from the sale of artworks will support exhibition development for the reopening of Rotorua Museum.

Julie Catchpole. Photo / The Suter

“I’m excited about the contribution that the Art Award exhibitions will be making towards the long-awaited reopening of the Rotorua Museum Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa,” Catchpole said.

“Having been involved with the redevelopment of The Suter and witnessing visitors quadruple in number after reopening, I am rather biased about the value a museum and gallery can bring to a community.”

Her previous roles included director of Te Manawa in Palmerston North, Auckland War Memorial Museum, and The Dowse Art Museum, following her first job at the former National Art Gallery, now part of Te Papa.

She has also taught art history and museum studies for Massey University and has curated or selected countless exhibitions over the years.

Rotorua Museum director Stewart Brown said Catchpole’s experience made her an ideal choice.

“Julie will bring knowledge from across many disciplines to the judging role,” Brown said.

“This is important due to the wide array of media that make up our entries from across the Bay of Plenty.

“It is also important to have a judge who is from outside the district to ensure the blind judging process is unbiased.”

Entries for the 2026 Rotorua Museum Art Awards close at 5pm on Monday, January 12, with completed works to be received by Monday, January 19.

All awards except the Coombes Johnston BMW People’s Choice Award will be announced at a gala evening on Wednesday, February 4.

The finalist exhibition will open to the public at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre from February 5 to March 1, 10am to 4pm.

The Salon des Refusés, for works not selected for the finalist exhibition, will run over the same period at the Lockwood Show Home Village.

This year there is $18,000 in prizes: the Rotorua Museum Supreme Award of $15,000; the Lockwood Youth Award of $1000; the Watts & Hughes Innovation Award of $1000; and the Coombes Johnston BMW People’s Choice Award, which gives $500 to the winning artist and $500 to a randomly drawn voter.

Catchpole will also give a judge’s talk the day after the exhibition opens, on Thursday, February 5, from 11am to 12.30pm at the Sir Howard Morrison Centre.