Support Our Vision at the Turner Centre

At the Turner Centre, we believe in the transformative power of art and creativity. Your generous support can profoundly impact the lives of individuals and enrich our community.

Our vision is “TE RANGA TOI WAKA” to be the Waka that weaves together all of the arts for our community. This emphasises our commitment to fostering creativity and connection through the arts. Your donations have the power to directly enhance and deliver our strategic plan, which focuses on programming and community engagement through the following key pillars:

  • IDENTITY: We believe in using arts and culture to tell our local stories, fostering pride and a deep connection to our unique place.
  • DIVERSITY: Our programmes celebrate the creativity and expressions of the diverse cultures that call Te Tai Tokerau home.
  • COMMUNITY: We are committed to empowering our community to create and stage events, as well as run innovative creative programmes that bring people together.
  • YOUTH: We aspire to provide no and low-cost creative opportunities for our tamariki and rangatahi, encouraging their engagement with arts and culture.
  • NEW & SURPRISING EXPERIENCES: We aim to offer our community a wide range of high-quality experiences featuring local, national, and international acts that inspire and entertain.
  • ENVIRONMENT: We use arts and culture as a platform to raise awareness about environmental issues, fostering community resilience in the face of climate change.

Every contribution—whether it’s towards exciting programming, or for new furniture or operational support — helps us build a more vibrant, connected and inspired community.

There are various ways to contribute, both publicly and anonymously. Please use the form to the right to let us know how you would like to get involved and help us advance the vision of the Centre.








    To keep this amazing facility going, we are depending on our generous partners! Their support means the world to us.

    Far North District Council is our key strategic partner. They own the Turner Centre building and provide the Turner Centre annual grants towards our operating expenses.

    BDO provides ongoing financial services to the Turner Centre.

     The Lottery Community Facilities and Lottery Community Sector Research funds have enabled us to launch the Turner Centre Revitalisation & Rejuvenation Project, which aims to refurbish our building and engage with our community to understand how we can better meet their needs. The Lottery Northland Community Fund supports our operating costs and project costs such as free theatre tickets for tamariki. New Zealand Lotteries also supported us getting new signage, both internal and on the road plus helped us with flooring for the Plaza.

    The Dalton Trust has supported the Turner Centre over many years with vital facility and equipment upgrades such as theatre curtains, carpet and theatre lighting. The Trust also supports our creative programming. Our Auditorium is named after John Dalton who was one of the Foundation organisers and supporters of The Turner Centre.

    Our local Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board supports a variety of creative projects at the centre – from programmes like Ngāti RēhiaCommunity Kapa Haka, to shows such as The Harmonic Resonators and community art projects like This Is Us Here Now. Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board has also supported us to provide a free bus for tamariki to attend our theatre.

    Northland Inc.’s Event Fund supports our annual Brew of Islands Festival. Northland Inc. have also supported the Centre to create a business plan.

    Thank you to Pub Charity for support towards upgrading our auditorium lighting, for our staff and volunteer First Aid Training, and our Event Coordinator position.

    We are grateful to the Freemasons Foundation for supporting our youth programming in 2025-2026. Thanks to their support, we are able to offer tamariki, rangatahi and their teachers over 1000 free tickets and transport to inspiring theatre shows at the Turner Centre.

    The Far North Creative Communities Scheme helps us bring exciting new programming to the Centre, such as Kerikeri band KŌHIA and the community art project This Is Us Here Now.

    Oxford Sports Trust have supported initiatives that upgrade our facility and upskill our volunteers, such as first aid training.

    COGS funding helps us buy new equipment, such as new trestle tables for creative projects and events.

    Our programming is also supported by wonderful organisations such as the Sargood Bequest, Ethnic Communities Development Fund, the Australian High Commission, the United States Embassy, the Canadian High Commission and the Irish Embassy.

    We are grateful to local law firms Law North, McLeods Lawyers, Palmer Macauley Law, Kowhai Legal, and MD Law Bay of Island for supporting our youth programming in 2024.

    Local company Plant Zone provides our spectacular plants and Dynamic Healthcare Ltd recently donated a new wheelchair for our patrons.

    Julian Robertson, owner of Kauri Cliffs, donated generously to enable the initial build of the Turner Centre.

    We are also immensely grateful to the benefactors who choose to donate anonymously. Their support helps us provide engaging and inspiring programming for the whole community to enjoy.