[4] During this time he led the development of a new purpose-built art centre (the gallery had previously run out of a converted house).
[5] He later recalled: "The main thing was to try and change the context in which the gallery operated to becoming a fully-fledged public institution that the community could relate to.
"[6] During his time at the Manawatū Art Gallery (now part of the Te Manawa museum complex) Bieringa curated the landmark contemporary photography exhibition The Active Eye.
Bieringa also brought with him a focus on contemporary art backed up by a local and global exhibition program that included: America and Europe a Century of Modern Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection (1980),[8] Rita Angus (1982),[9] Views/Exposures - Ten Contemporary New Zealand Photographers (1982),[10] I will need words: Colin McCahon’s word and number paintings (1984),[11] Content-context 1986, Para Matchitt: Huakina (1986),[12] Wild Visionary Spectral: New German Art (1986),[13] When Art Hits the Headlines (1987),[14] Barbara Kruger (1988),[15] Nobodies: Adventures of the Generic Figure (1989)[16] and Neil Dawson: Site Works (1989).
During Bieringa's time as Director a number of important purchases were added to the National Art Gallery collections including: Colin McCahon The Second Gate Series (1962)[18] and Practical Religion (1968–70),[19] Barbara Kruger Untitled (We are unsuitable for framing) (1985),[20] Robert Mapplethorpe Y Portfolio (1977),[21] Paratene Matchitt Te Wepu (1986)[22] and Ralph Hotere Black Phoenix (1984–88).