Great Hall open days welcome thousands

More than 10,000 people of all ages soaked up the unique atmosphere of the Great Hall during during two public open days last month.

The open days heralded the re-opening of the historic civic space which is available for private hire from August. While the hall is available for hire, it's not permanently open to the public so the open days were a chance for the wider community to enjoy the space, says Arts Centre CEO André Lovatt.

“The Great Hall is here for the community and in many ways it’s the heart of the Arts Centre because so many things have occurred in it over its 130-year history. I believe it’s Christchurch’s most significant civic space and it’s a fantastic example of how heritage buildings can be restored and used.”

Come along to tonight's Annual Public Meeting

Buildings completed, leases signed and the community returning to the Arts Centre in increasing numbers - just some of the highlights from the past 18 months.

To find out more about the considerable progress that has been made, come along to tonight's public meeting or download the 2015 Annual Report.

Flooding will not affect Arts Centre operations

A burst fire main that caused flooding at the Arts Centre last week will not affect operations on the site, says Chief Executive André Lovatt.

Tenants will continue to operate as normal and plans to re-open spaces later this year are still on track. The flooding was largely in the site’s new plant room - pictured above - that was partially commissioned. Temporary solutions have been put in place to ensure operations on the site are not affected by the flooding.

“It’s a big disruption but we have plans in place and have been able to contain the impact on site. We’re now focused on drying the plant room and assessing the damage and cost.”

Rutherford’s Den opening in August

We're just weeks away from re-opening the completely transformed Rutherford’s Den at the Arts Centre. This image shows how high-tech displays contrast starkly with the building's carefully restored timber and brickwork in the first floor lecture theatre. Visitors to Rutherford's Den will be treated to hands-on digital displays as they learn about Rutherford and his peers.