New arts hub to revitalise creative heart
Nelson’s deputy mayor says a high-profile site housing a new arts hub will help the city rediscover its legacy as a regional arts capital.
The Nelson Arts Hub and Arts Development Agency will soon occupy the northern section of Millers Acre, adjacent to River Kitchen.
The hub in its new high-profile location has been dubbed by Nelson City Council as set to become a “gateway” to the city centre for both locals and visitors alike.
Deputy mayor Pete Rainey said the project had been years in the making and marked a major step in restoring Nelson’s artistic identity.
Rainey said Nelson’s “glittering status” as an arts capital had been “slightly tarnished over the years”.
“And I think that there’s a genuine desire to try and reclaim our status as a a top regional centre of the arts.”
Nelson had “long punched above its weight” across pottery, jewellery, painting and music, and the new hub would be about rediscovering that legacy, Rainey said.
“It’s not a question of trying to create new things. It’s really a rediscovery of what Nelson was always about and restating it and being very proud of what we’ve got here.”
Refurbishment of the space, estimated at $1.25 million, will be funded through capital expenditure set aside in Nelson City Council’s Long Term Plan 2024–34.
The new location and funding allocation were confirmed in a confidential council meeting in September.
In 2022, an independent analysis of Nelson’s arts facilities commissioned by council identified a clear need for a central space to support the sector.
Rainey said the new hub would be a flexible, multi-use space suitable for performances, exhibitions, and small studios. The site would create new opportunities for artists and make “a profound difference” to the city’s creative life.
The final decision felt like an exciting milestone after extensive debate about sites, funding and function, he said.
Mayor Nick Smith said the Long Term Plan made provision for buying a new building as part of the 2022 Arts Strategy.
“This decision to use an existing, vacant council-owned building is a more cost-effective option,” he said.
The site was ideal, Smith said, with its location adjacent to the Nelson Bus Hub and Department of Conservation office. “We want to reactivate this strategic site to showcase Nelson’s creative sector and art festivals.”
The hub and agency would rent the space under a community lease, paying peppercorn rent until 2028 while sub-leases were established. Sub-lease income would be shared between the agency and council.
Te Tai-o-Aorere Arts Development Trust chair Sophie Kelly said its central location made it a natural “gathering point”, co-ordinating efforts across the arts sector to deliver cultural, social and economic benefits.
“It’s not just about having a building, it’s about creating opportunities for artists, audiences, and educators to come together and build something lasting for the region,” she said.
“Proposed as the glue that holds the sector together, our role is to advocate for the arts, help secure new funding and investment, and shine a light on the incredible creative work happening here in the region,“ she said.
Arthouse Architects had been selected to design the new space, with tenders for construction expected to open in January 2026.
Building is scheduled to begin in March and finish by June 2026.
By Warren Gamble, Nelson Mail
This Post Has 0 Comments