Our People
Learning and Audience Engagement
Team Leader Learning and Audience Participation
Amanda Hare, Team Leader Learning and Audience Participation
Amanda leads the Learning and Audience Participation team, overseeing the public programming and educational offerings alongside a highly skilled team of engagement activators and educators. Collaborating with the wider gallery and Christchurch City Council teams, working closely with artists, creatives, makers and numerous external organisations Amanda organises and designs the Gallery's programmes. Amanda has a background in the GLAM and education sectors and enjoys all aspects of art creation and expression, from galleries to theatre, museums to jazz clubs.
Audience Engagement Coordinator
Poppy McGuigan Hay, Audience Engagement Coordinator
Poppy (Ngāti Tūwharetoa) works with the wider Gallery team, alongside artists and communities, to design a diverse offering of public programmes which complement, celebrate, and extend the exhibition programme. She has a background in communication, education, and museum programming. Poppy is passionate about creating experiences that are engaging, interdiciplinary, accessible, and fun.
Guided Engagement Coordinator
Rebecca Ogle, Guided Engagement Coordinator
Rebecca is responsible for recruiting, training and managing our volunteer guides who lead tours of the Gallery and assist with our education programme. Rebecca also arranges our Art Bite programme. She has a background in fine arts, art theory and history, music, marketing and events organisation, and front of house management.
Education and Learning Specialist
Bianca van Leeuwen, Education and Learning Specialist
Bianca works with students, teachers and artists from throughout Ōtautahi to deliver arts education that responds to the Gallery's exhibitions. She oversees the Schools Programmes and creates interesting, innovative and stimulating art lessons and workshops. Bianca is a trained teacher with an MFA from Canterbury University with experience teaching across all levels of the New Zealand Curriculum.