The New Zealand Portrait Gallery, administered from Wellington, is a national organisation promoting the display of New Zealanders through the perceptive eyes of painters, sculptors, caricaturists and photographers."Portraying New Zealanders to all New Zealand". Presenting portraits of our peoples, profiles of the New Zealanders, past and present, who have shaped and continue to express the various cultures which together define our national characteristics.We host a programme of visiting and curated exhibitions as funding and venues allow. We do not own our own display space, but usually in Wellington we hire Shed 11 on the waterfront.We host lectures and meetings and the biennial Adam Award and purchase for and lend from our collection. We are supported by an enthusiastic Friends group.The Friends of the New Zealand Portrait Gallery was formed in April 1995. The emerging Portrait Gallery was creating such interest that the time was right to create this support group.From its inception the Friends have provided practical help in many ways:• researching people depicted in portraits• assisting in mounting exhibitons• catering on exhibition opening nights• supervising the gallery during exhibitions