Library and Archives
You can use the Robert and Barbara Stewart Library and Archives to find out more about the art and artists in Christchurch Art Gallery’s collection. The library has about 12,000 books, 1,200 artist files and thousands of magazines.
The library also has information about the Gallery itself, its predecessor the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, our exhibitions, and publications. We have the records of the Canterbury Society of Arts, The Group, and the personal papers of many other Canterbury artists.
Visit the Library
The library is open by appointment only, but we love having visitors so please call +64-3-9417394 or email library@christchurchartgallery.org.nz to book a time for a visit.
You can find out what we have by checking the catalogue of Christchurch City Libraries.
We have digitised a lot of publications and you can see these below.
Print Archive
AGMANZ and Te Ara
In partnership with Museums Aotearoa Te Tari o Ngā Whare Taonga o Te Motu and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, we are pleased to make these issues of the publications of...
Ascent
All five issues of the magazine Ascent, published in Christchurch between 1967 and 1969. The editor was Leo Bensemann.
Bulletin Magazine
Every issue of our own magazine Bulletin, from issue 1, 1979 to issue 154, 2008
Later issues can be downloaded here.
Bulletin of the National Art Association of New Zealand
All twenty issues of the Bulletin of the National Art Association of New Zealand, published between 1925 and 1926.
The aims of the Association, paraphrased here, but set out in full in...
Canterbury Potters Association
We are pleased to make available the Canterbury Potters Association annual exhibition catalogues. This programme of digitization is being carried out with the kind assistance of the...
Canterbury Society of Arts Annual Catalogues
100 years of Canterbury Society of Arts annual exhibition catalogues, 1880 to 1980. We sincerely thank the Alexander Turnbull Library, Hocken Collections and the Macmillan Brown Library at the...
Canterbury Society of Arts magazine
The CSA published its first magazine, called the CSA Newsletter, in 1963. The title has changed over the years from Newsletter (1963 - 1965) to News (1965 -...
Digitised publications
Every publication from the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and every out-of-print publication from the Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū
Hays Ltd Art Competition
The catalogues of the four Hays Ltd Art competitions, held in 1960, 1962, 1963 and 1966.
Monica
All five issues of Monica, published between 1996 and 1997.
With many thanks to the Angela Morton Room Te Pātaka Toi Art Library, Takapuna and Auckland Libraries Ngā...
New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts Annual Catalogues
This is a work in progress - if YOU have any of the three missing catalogues (1919, 1923 and 1925), please contact us.
We are extremely grateful to the following for the...
New Zealand Crafts and Craft New Zealand
Every issue of New Zealand Crafts (1982-1991) and every issue of its successor Craft New Zealand (1991-1993)
With many thanks to Christchurch City Libraries...
New Zealand Potter
Every issue of New Zealand Potter magazine (1958-1998), sometimes known as Potter between 1975 and 1993 but most definitely the same periodical. It appeared twice a...
New Zealand Society of Potters Exhibition Catalogues
We are pleased to present the annual exhibition catalogue of the New Zealand Society of Potters. We are extremely grateful to Rick Rudd at Quartz, Museum of Studio Ceramics in Whanganui who...
South Canterbury Art Society
The Aigantighe Gallery in Timaru have digitized all the available South Canterbury Arts Society catalogues. You can see them...
Spiral
In conjunction with Spiral Collectives Trust, we are delighted to present these publications.
Spiral: women's art magazine was published by Spiral, 1976-1992
With...
Splash
In partnership with the Angela Morton Room Te Pātaka Toi Art Library, Takapuna, we are delighted to present all four issues of Splash.
Splash was edited by Wystan...
The Group 1927-1977
It appears that no catalogues were issued for the two shows in 1927 while only two pages of the 1931 catalogue have been found. There was no show in 1928, 1930, in 1933-1934 (when the New...
