Supporters are rallying behind Demente as her rent is set to spike, threatening the future of her popular Grainstore Gallery in Harbour St.
But as Demente mulls a campaign to save the Victorian Precinct gallery and music venue, some say it is time for her to "get real".
The Oamaru Whitestone Civic Trust informed her last year of the impending rent rise.
Demente told the Otago Daily Times the proposed rent hike from the "significantly subsidised" rent she had been paying of $100 per week for the 360sqm gallery space and additional "mezzanine spaces" below the gallery to over $400 per week by June 1 was not sustainable.
When trust chairman Richard Vinbrux used the term "tough titties" in response to her complaints, Demente took to social media to say she would begin selling tea towels and T-shirts bearing the phrase.
Demente said she had been active in the town’s cultural revival since she began her tenancy in 1995.
She did this "willingly" and was not ashamed of having paid low rent due to her contribution to the evolution of the precinct.
Mr Vinbrux confirmed to the ODT this week that Demente’s rent was not the same as other tenants in Harbour St, as the gallery had not had had a rent review in the past two decades.
While she has many supporters, some have criticised her stance.
Oasis Antiques and Clear Space Gallery owner Greg Waite, a former Harbour St tenant himself, said Demente was "responsible for holding back the precinct for 20 years".
"She views herself as the jewel in the crown — she is not.
"There’s a lot of hard-working, neat people, people like Michael O’Brien of Craftwork Brewery who are doing world class things here.
"She’s grizzling about the rent. It’s because she won’t get real."
Mr Waite said it was high time someone in the trust had stood up to her.
"Others have never had the testicular matter to say to Donna ‘you’ve got to pay your own way’.
"The trust has big costs. It’s a prime space, it’s upstairs, it’s fabulous. She doesn’t get any sympathy from me.
"It’s always mystified other artists in the street for years why she gets preferential treatment. There are a lot of other businesses that just hang in there."
There were many artists who would jump at the chance to have that gallery space at the rate Demente is now being offered, Mr Waite said.
Waitaki District Mayor Melanie Tavendale said while she supported Demente’s contribution to Oamaru, Mr Vinbrux was "dead right" to protect the long-term sustainability and viability of the trust in heritage preservation and promotion.
"It’s a tough gig, and trying to balance that with tenants, I have to be mindful because I have a business in that area so when it comes to those individual conversations — we need to let the trust run with what is a huge amount of maintenance and find the right balance and run their own business."
Mr Vinbrux said his "tough titties" comment made to Demente was about making a point.
"Donna made the point that there is so much competition from other artists, but we can’t be supporting arts on one side and then saying we don’t want anyone to be in competition with each other.
"That’s not equality for all the other creative business owners in Oamaru."
Forrester Gallery visual arts curator Anna McLean said the Grainstore Gallery was a "huge asset to both Oamaru and the historic precinct".
"It’s hard to see that not recognised, as her space upstairs is more like a museum or tourist attraction without people necessarily supporting her financially when they visit."
