Arts grant sought

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33779, 27 February 1975, Page 18

Arts grant sought

A grant of $14,000 was sought from the metropolitan councils by the Arts Centre of IChristchurch yesterday, 'when submissions were made to a meeting of the councils. The centre will be established in the old University building, and 50-odd organisations have applied for permanent or casual use of the buildings. The $14,000 was wanted to enable $3OOO to be spent on renovating the library, establishing a kitchen and providing a custodians flat. Mrs H. L. Garrett (Christ- ■ church City) said vast amounts of money had to be found to restore the build-

ings, yet organisations were being allowed in at low rents.

1 For the interim board, Mr M. J. Hadlee, the secretary, said rents would be about $26,500, or about $34,000 .when the full site was available. Income would be about $60,000, but $40,000 had to be paid as rent to the Tech- , nical Institute, leaving I $20,000 for administration, ,

Mr M. Douglass said the 'full site should yield $40,000 a year for building restora-

; tion, and this would be available when the Technical Institute moved out in two years and a trust took over. The trust should be exempt from rates.

Cr Garrett asked how the City Council could remit rates when town houses were suggested for the site. Mr Douglass said no final decision had been made. A recommendation on a grant was reached in com-; mittee, and will go to thel individual councils.