About ArtsPost Galleries & Shop

ArtsPost is dedicated to developing and promoting artists, and to growing a dynamic and supportive environment for the arts in the Waikato. Located in a beautifully preserved heritage building next to Waikato Museum in Hamilton's Victoria Street, this former Post Office is now a stunning visual art space which offers a unique gallery and retail experience.

The three exhibition spaces at ArtsPost display an exciting programme of fresh new art which changes regularly, and ArtsPost's retail shop features beautiful art pieces and great variety. New items are added regulary to a uniquely New Zealand product range.

ArtsPost Vision

"To grow a dynamic and supportive environment for the arts in Waikato".

Fieldays No.8 Wire National Art Award

This iconic art award challenges artists to create a sculpture using No.8 wire. The medium has come to symbolise Kiwi ingenuity and the entries received certainly prove much can be achieved with wire. Find out more or enter here.

History of ArtsPost

Hamilton’s new Post and Telegraph office was built in 1901, and was a prominent feature of the new town.  It was a grand building, symbolic of Hamilton’s growth, and located in the hub of the action.  Replacing the wooden structure that burnt down in 1899, the solid building was designed by architect John Campbell.  It stood proud in Imperial Baroque style and was built for a cost of £2400.  

The building was extended by half in 1916 to meet the demand for more facilities, and remained the central post office until 1940 when its replacement opposite Garden Place opened.  For the next 40 years the building was used for Social Welfare purposes.  From 1980 various other tenants including the Maori Land Court, local Members of Parliament and a Youth Resource Centre all made use of what was once the bustling post office in our young town. 

Hamilton City Council purchased the building in 1992 with the vision of creating a high profile facility for the promotion of visual arts, while retaining one of the city’s historic buildings.  In consultation with the Historic Places Trust, the building was restored as much as possible to original condition, while complying with current building codes. 

 The renovated building was opened as ArtsPost on June 27,1998.  This initiative led to a Creative Places Award for Hamilton in 1999. 

ABOUT THE galleries

ArtsPost houses three Gallery spaces, each of these spaces has a significant name.

Ida Carey Gallery

1891 – 1982 

Ida Carey was a significant Waikato Artist. In the 1920’s and 30’s Ida Carey studied art in Sydney. An Influential teacher and painter, she co-founded The Waikato Society of Arts in 1934. In the 1960’s, she painted a series of Maori woman with the Moko. A woman with great tenacity and courage.

With her talent Ida Carey made an important contribution to the art in the Waikato. 

Margot Philips

1920 Germany – 1989 New Zealand 

Margot Philips was also a significant Waikato Artist and supporter.

“I knew after I had settled here something inside of me was destroyed. I needed something within me to build up again”

“I was terribly excited by the Waikato landscape, once I was really ready to look”.

Chartwell Gallery 

The Chartwell Gallery gains its name from the Chartwell Trust that was initiated by Rob Gardiner. The Waikato Society of Arts moved into ArtsPost in 1997, but prior to that, the Chartwell Trust had purpose built a gallery space for the WSA in Victoria Street (next to Bar 101).

Here they operated as the gallery shop and it is out of respect to the huge assistance and support of The Chartwell Trust, that the WSA was able to continue for many more years and flourish as an Art Society.

 Other tenants upstairs in the  ArtsPost Building are Creative Hamilton and Waikato Society of Arts.