Megan Dunn: a local guide to arts and culture

Beyond writing and publishing, Megan Dunn works as Curator of Special Projects for City Gallery Wellington Te Whare Toi. While her work is largely for the city's contemporary gallery, she also works with a number of attractions and creative spaces, including Wellington Museum, Space Place, Cable Car Museum, and Nairn Street Cottage. As a long-time local she has a few favourite spots, and keeps her eye out for what's new and notable.

Cultural places not to miss 

The Wellington region has a wealth of innovative museums and art institutions. Megan has singled out one of the tiniest places as a favourite. “I love all of them, of course, but Nairn Street Cottage holds a special place.” The colonial cottage is the oldest existing in Wellington. It contains the lives of three generations of a family who lived there until the 1970s. “It’s not far from where I live. We have no backyard, so for a long time we used to visit every day. It became our backyard”. Whether it be sitting in the tranquil heritage garden or inside looking at original wallpaper and furnishings, it’s a touchstone to the past. 

From the traditional, Megan turns to the contemporary. Wellington has a wealth of dedicated dealer galleries. Each nurtures the careers of emerging and established artists. “There’s a surprising number of good dealer galleries,” Megan says. There are a couple of standouts for her. ”The exhibitions at Robert Heald Gallery are unmissable. Always something interesting and challenging.” Having been in its Cuba Street premises since 1968, McLeavey Gallery is a Wellington institution. Friend, photographer, and McLeavey artist Yvonne Todd collaborated with Megan for an exhibition at the gallery. “McLeavey is a very happy place for me. I’ve worked with Olivia [the owner] and her artists a lot over the years.”

Art to see outside 

The contemporary art scene in Wellington is not restricted to indoors. There are dozens of permanent public sculptures around the city. Among them are over 30 large contemporary pieces installed by the privately funded Wellington Sculpture Trust. Megan casts her net even wider to Lower Hutt for her favourite public sculpture. In the forecourt outside the Dowse Art Museum lies ‘Fallen Angel’ by Ronnie van Hout. The huge aluminium sculpture depicts a robot lying horizontally in a shallow pool. “Whenever we visit The Dowse, we go and stand on ‘Fallen Angel’ and stare down at his teeth.” Installed in 2012, Megan thinks the commentary on technology and industry is even more relevant now in the time of AI. 

The beating heart of a city 

For the general cultural vibe of Wellington, Megan returns to Cuba Street every time. If a friend is visiting, that’s the first place she sends them. It’s not just the many galleries and creative spaces that capture the Wellington spirit. There are great secondhand bookstores as well. “I walk past The Ferret Bookshop most days and I’m always lured to stop at the front window.” Unity Books on Willis Street is another pit stop for Megan. “I just can’t go past it for quality”. 

The Cuba Street area also provides plenty of hospitality options. After an exhibition opening, she says curators are always up for a robust discussion. She and her City Gallery colleagues usually head to The Ram. “The service is outstanding. And they do a mean espresso martini. It also helps that the Cuba Street bucket fountain is outside to keep my daughter amused.”