Arts Centre focus point

Press, 3 April 1987, Page 17

Arts Centre focus point

Chris Doig makes an expansive gesture towards the Arts Centre around him. “I maintain this is the centre of the city ... almost,’’ he says. The centre on the old university site has been a success story of the Christchurch tourist industry, creating jobs on the way for hundreds, including crafts people, office workers, restau- . rant staff, and theatre people. Mr Doig, the director of the centre, was intrigued by a copy of a letter that was passed on to him, suggesting the Arts Centre should be the site of the restaurant tower proposed for Christchurch. That idea certainly struck a chord. The restaurant would look . out over the part of the city that attracts overseas visitors. “It is less than five minutes walk from the Cathedral Square. It has got the museum, the botanic gardens, the boat sheds, the. C.S.A. Gallery, the Arts Centre, and Hagley Park,” he said. "We think all of the information centres of the city should be < shifted here, and the clock tower should be reconstructed as an information centre. • < “We have to send half the people back to the promotion council offices, because they have come here anyway.” Two years and a half ago,

there were four crafts people working at the Arts Centre. Now the figure is 70 or more in craft shops and studios scattered through the 5 -hectare site. Many others work full or parttime for the three on-site restaurants, or the two theatres, the ballet, the cinema, the galleries, bookshop, or have office space among the 32,000 square metres of buildings. There are hundreds employed at the centre. Many of them are not filling new jobs, but for the craft ventures the build-up of the centre and the business it generates has been a powerful impetus. Now every square metre is taken up with some activity, and there is a waiting list of 117 enterprises that want to get- into the centre. Hugh Bannerman was one Craftsman — a designer of rugs — who joined the move to the centre from Lichfield Street premises where his Dilana Rug Studio was struggling; He believes a craft shop in the city is submerged by the commercial activity around it, but potential customers who arrive among the cloisters of the Arts Centre are looking for design and creativity. His business has grown from iy 2 j°bs to eight The Maori carving centre has

also grown since it moved to the centre. Before that it was largely staffed by unemployed people on Labour Department schemes at Nga Hau E Wha National Marae. Now it employs five or six, and has grown into a successful business venture of its own.

A housewife, Margaret Swords, was persuaded to set up shop as a leatherworker two years ago. Her venture now employs three others.

The decision to allow Sunday trading at the centre has meant rapid expansion of the week-end market This summer, 130 stallholders wanted to get into the market but there were only enough stalls for 85.

Mr Doig says the market may be expanded to 120 next year, and there are plans for a winter market to be held in the Arts Centre’s Great Hall.

He is very confident of the centre’s future, and in spite of its present state — overflowing — he is looking for expansion. “Everything in the place is old-fashioned and had it,” he says. "We have had to redo the wiring on the site. The drainage is archaic, and the new drainage plan will cost $57,000. All of the buildings are being strengthened. That is being paid for by local government” He hopes the quadrangles can be — after a new

drainage system is Installed — with bitumen and cobblestones and lawns. The $lOO,OOO landscaping plan also calls for a fountain. The Great Hall was booked for 290 days last year, and the Centre Gallery had bookings on 300 days. Negotiations have occurred for the Robert McDougall Art Gallery to take over the Centre Gallery, upgrade it, and mount exhibitions there.

At present the gallery is not used much during the day, and meetings held there could be shifted to the board room, or the common room.

He also has plans for a big arcade behind the Court Theatre to create space fur more crafts people, and specialty food outlets.

He believes the centre is an important resource for the city, and is worthy of more support from local government. ’ He quotes statistics that show the average council in -New Zealand spends $2 per resident on the arts — and most of that on museums and art galleries — compared to SNZ7 in Australia, SNZ2B in England and SNZ7S in Canada.

His agenda is perfectly clear. “I would love to give the place a facelift” . 4 i