FACT (Franklin Arts and Cultural Trust) started life as a Community Arts Council in 1977 and moved into premises on Queen Street, Pukekohe, in 1979. There it held classes, workshops and meetings for the arts and cultural community of Franklin. In 1996 Franklin District Council gifted to the group the former Pukekohe Borough Council building on Wesley Street and a year later, drew up a trust deed creating Franklin Arts & Cultural Trust.

 

The centre became a busy hub for creative and cultural activity, leading to discussions in the new millennium to enlarge the building. However, the opportunity arose in 2003 of building a new centre on Massey Avenue to house FACT, the Franklin Library Trust and the I-Site. In 2007, Franklin: The Centre became a reality. 
 

FACT merged with the Franklin District Library Trust during december 2008 in the interest of providing a wider range of community services at greater benefit to all. The Franklin Arts and Culture Team (FACT) operates as an autonomous business unit within the new trust, which is known as the Franklin Arts Culture and Library Trust (FACLT). FACLT has the following Board of Trustees. 

On the 26th of June 2009 the new Maori name of FACLT was announced at the opening of the Matariki Festival. Te Tira Toi Mătauranga O Franklin, meaning "a group of leaders of Rangatira status, trusted with the responsibility of uplifting and uniting the people of Franklin through the arts and the knowledge within the library."    

FACLT Board of Trustees

 

Heather Ballantyne

Kiriwai Flavell

Charmaine Pountney (Chair)

Cllr Magan Ranchhod

Ganges Singh

Geoff Smith

Lincoln Sharp

Gillian Thomas

Pamela Wright 

Rangitamoana Wilson

To contact any of these please telephone the Committee Secretary / Operations Manager Robert Burke at 09 237 0530 or email robertb@bookinopolis.co.nz

The Board consists of 9 Trustees, The members represent the Franklin district at large, with one member representing Iwi. Appointments are for two years at a time, for a maximum of 6 years. Expressions of interest are called for via the local newspapers when new appointments are to be made. If you would like to know more about serving on the Board, please contact us.