Around the corner from the new Art Gallery you find the Arts Centre, Christchurch’s arts and crafts hub with galleries, studios, theatres, cinemas, restaurants and bars. It is also the site of New Zealand’s oldest lecture theatre as the whole complex used to be the University of Canterbury. Only in the mid 80ties the last students moved out.

Christchurch's Art Gallery and the Arts Centre are both located within the Cultural Precinct.
Over 150 years ago, the city’s founders planned a unique cultural heart for the province of Canterbury with education, art, science, government, religion, history and recreation all within an area of one square kilometre next to the Avon River. So it came that the province of Canterbury became its Cultural Precinct, all in easy walking distance to the houses of Moa Cottages.

Click on the top left website to explore the Cultural Precinct. The second link is the website of Christchurch's new Art Gallery. If you would like to marry in an Art Gallery, you can rent the foyer for this occation.

The third link shows you aroung the old University of Canterbury. Earnest Rutherford, the father of the split Atom, used to work here. Nowadays the place like coffee, jugglers give their best and artists receive the attention they deserve.

Speaking of artists: For young artist please visit the website of CoCa, the Centre of Contemporary Art. If you are used to visiting the Guggenheim , the Nationalgalerie or Centre Pompidou you should not get too exited but it is worthwhile to have a look around.

And in case you do not have a clue about new Zealand artists – check out the website New Zealand Artists. It provides information on (nearly) every New Zealand artists, Kiwi galleries and informative articles.

Happy surfing.

Your hosts
Sabine & Ernst Wipperfuerth