Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre is a heritage arts precinct at 2 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch. Dating back to 1877, it comprises the largest collection of heritage buildings in the country and is run by an independent charitable trust.
The Arts Centre is home to over 70 entities, including galleries, museums, cinemas, boutique retailers, artisan eateries and bars, accommodation, artists' studios and creative residences. Public spaces are open seven days, 10am to 5pm, and admission to The Arts Centre is free, though some individual organisations based there charge their own entry fees and set their own opening hours.
Beyond its heritage buildings, The Arts Centre hosts a regular programme of events and hires out venues including the Great Hall, Maker Workshop, Cloisters Studio and Rutherford's Den Lecture Theatre, alongside outdoor spaces. It is supported by Christchurch City Council and is a ChristchurchNZ destination partner.
Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre, at 2 Worcester Boulevard in Ōtautahi Christchurch, dates back to 1877 and holds the largest collection of heritage buildings anywhere in the country.
Run by an independent charitable trust, The Arts Centre has grown into a thriving community across its historic buildings, now home to more than 70 entities. That mix spans galleries, museums, cinemas, boutique retailers, artisan eateries and bars, accommodation, artists' studios and creative residences — making it as much a working precinct as a heritage site to walk through.
Admission to The Arts Centre itself is free, though individual organisations based there may charge their own entry fees and keep their own opening hours. The precinct's public spaces are open seven days, from 10am to 5pm, giving visitors a wide window to wander through.
The Arts Centre runs a regular programme of events across its buildings. That's included a Sculpture Festival in its 7th year, featuring object art, contemporary jewellery and outdoor sculpture from artists around Aotearoa, and a Jazz Club series returning for its third year, showcasing everything from smooth to bold and electrifying jazz styles through the colder months. Rising Stars, a Tuesday lunchtime concert series, shines a light on emerging young musicians, while the Great Hall Lunchtime Concerts bring bite-size performances spanning classical, jazz and popular traditions into the middle of the day. School Holiday Fun rounds things out with free activities and ticketed concerts, performances and workshops especially for children.
Beyond its public programme, The Arts Centre hires out a range of spaces for private and community use, including the Great Hall, Maker Workshop, Cloisters Studio, Common Room, Altiora (The Gym), The Lounge, the Clock Tower Boardroom, and Rutherford's Den Lecture Theatre, alongside a community exhibition space, Pūmanawa, and various outdoor spaces.
Among the retailers based at The Arts Centre is Frances Nation, a shop specialising in Aotearoa New Zealand-made homewares and gifts built on quality craftsmanship, authenticity and longevity, located on the ground floor of Boys' High on Worcester Boulevard. The Arts Centre also runs its own shop, and its eat and drink offering includes artisan eateries and bars scattered through the precinct.
The Arts Centre is supported by Christchurch City Council and is proud to be a ChristchurchNZ destination partner. It also has a dedicated page recognising its status as part of Tohu Whenua Waitaha Canterbury, New Zealand's network of significant heritage sites.
The Arts Centre is located at 2 Worcester Boulevard, Christchurch, and can be reached by phone on 03 366 0989 or by email. It shares updates on events and promotions through its newsletter, Facebook and Instagram.
Between its 1877 heritage buildings, a working community of more than 70 entities, and a rotating programme of concerts, festivals and family-friendly holiday events, The Arts Centre offers a rare combination in Christchurch — genuine heritage architecture that's still very much a living, working part of the city.