Arts, Culture and Galleries

 WELCOME TO THE FRAMING ROOMS We give the five star treatment to whatever you’d like to hang on the wall: photography, fine art, medals, works on canvas, prints, sport jerseys, cross stitches and three dimensional objects. Everything is made by hand at our Nelson workshop. Let us work our magic on your next framing project. We are open Monday to Friday 8.30am – 5.30pm and from 9am – 4pm on Saturdays.   WHAT WE FRAME Let us inspire you! Whatever you want to frame we are here to turn your ideas into reality.  We are all about the bespoke – making something that is just perfect for the piece you are framing.  Two of our team are Guild Commended Framers so if you are framing valuable or fragile pieces you can be confident your art is in safe hands.  The Framing Rooms is the chosen framer for many Nelson galleries, artists and collectors.  Come along and benefit from our experience. To see what’s happening at the workshop every week follow us on Instagram     Click here to find out more…

 The Quiet Dog Gallery exhibits contemporary New Zealand Art from an industrial space in the centre of Nelson. With exhibitions changing every month there is always stimulating work to view. The Gallery faces the Wakatu Car Park and shares a building with our sister business The Framing Rooms. We are open Monday through to Friday from 9am – 5.30pm and from 9am – 4pm every Saturday. For a couple of hours of visual treats visit all four galleries in our neighbourhood: Quiet Dog, Parker, RED and the Refinery Arts Space.   Our Artists You know that feeling when you happen upon an artwork that you just can’t live without? Those are the artworks we hope to offer you. Artworks that make you look twice, artworks that stay in your head and your heart, artworks of substance that you’ll want on your walls for years. Click on the artist you are interested in to see what we have here at the Quiet Dog Gallery. Find out more…

 A Gallery with a variety of artworks, furniture, designer clothes, jewellery, gifts and coffee-to-go from artists around Nelson and NZ. Tucked in the corner of Nile Street and Trafalgar Square you’ll find a gorgeous character villa that is an Art Gallery, has designer clothing, jewellery, plenty of gift ideas and coffee-to-go. Owner and artist, Donna Allfrey, has fulfilled her dream of making art accessible with a variety of paintings, photography, sculpture and avant-garde compositions that anyone will find mesmerising. It’s the type of place you need to visit a couple of times just to take it all in. There is a spacious welcoming feel from the moment you set foot inside and plenty of quirky, fun pieces to serious contemplative artworks to reflect upon. The designer clothing labels suit any occasion, you can have the Dressing Room to yourself while you try on pieces and accessories; the silver jewellery comes from around NZ and prices start at $20. Sit in the French Chairs, sip your espresso, decide what you would like to try on – take your time. In the Studio space, you are likely to find an Artist painting, drawing, sewing – creating something right in front of […]

 &nbsp: Welcome to the RED Art Gallery, Design Store & Café RED Art Gallery & Café is a gorgeous art gallery, design store and café located in a beautiful heritage building in the heart of Nelson, New Zealand. We are a unique & quirky gallery which stocks beautiful artworks from local and international artists, fabulous design products from around the world & delicious food & coffee.  We ship all products and paintings easily & affordably around the world. Pop in and visit us or browse our online store.   The Red Cafe The Red Café is a delightful place to enjoy a superb coffee with a ham & gruyére croissant for breakfast or one of our famous date scones. Beautiful soup & a crusty piece of sourdough is always on offer for Winter lunch, or you might be lucky enough to have a homemade Venison pie or other daily lunch special. Treat yourself to a heavenly macaroon with a cup of Oriental Lime Tea, or indulge in a chocolate brownie coupled with a divine dark Belgian hot chocolate.  We serve 100% fairtrade and organic coffee from People’s Coffee & local organic milk.  Simple, quality food at it’s very best. […]

Nelson Centre of Musical Arts (NCMA) An internationally renowned community hub for all things musical in the Nelson-Tasman region What we do Situated in the heart of Nelson, we offer opportunities to learn an instrument and to rehearse and perform as an individual or as part of a group. We are also a performance venue and our audiences enjoy concerts held in the Nelson School of Music Auditorium and brand new performance space in the Rainey Wing. Our vision is to be New Zealand’s most vibrant, innovative and accessible music community. Unique performance venues We bring world-class musicians to perform in our purpose-built heritage auditorium, which is famous for its fine acoustics. We are also excited to shortly open an additional performance space in the Rainey Wing – adding another stage for local, national and international musicians to perform on. Learn and perform at NCMA Through our growing education programmes, NCMA is committed to making music accessible to as many people in our community as possible. NCMA has over 40 accredited music and drama teachers that we can put you in touch with and an increasing number of classes and performance groups to join – allowing you to begin or restart your own personal musical journey, no matter what your age or […]

OUR ARTISTS Parker Gallery supports a wide range of artists from Nelson, Tasman & Marlborough, and around New Zealand. These artists have developed a consistent approach to their chosen medium, and as a result have a strong body of work that is unique. Artists of this calibre work tirelessly to create artworks that are always of an exceptional quality. Click here to find out more…

Nearing its 40th anniversary, the Nelson Market is an integral part of the Nelson community, bringing crowds into the central city on Saturday mornings. The market was launched by Nita Knight in the late 1970s. She was struck by the vibrancy of the region and the range of arts and crafts produced here. Held first in the Miller’s Acres Carpark, it quickly outgrew this space and was moved to Montgomery Square. As the Nelson region has grown, the range of products available has dramatically increased. Alongside the likes of potters, woodworkers and fibre artists, there is now a substantial variety of food stuffs; chocolate and cheesemakers, fresh produce and nuts for example, along with an abundance of locally made clothing, jewellery and many crafts. Takeaway foods with local and international flavours are very popular thanks to the large range of food carts. The Nelson Market has been a business incubator for many brands that have gone on to achieve both national, and in some cases, international success. Pic’s Peanut Butter, Anathoth Jams and Hogarth Chocolates are but a few of these. It would be a rare visitor to Nelson who doesn’t know about the Nelson Market before they arrive. It […]

BILL BURKE, LOCAL NELSON ARTIST AND PICTURE FRAMER Living in Little Kaiteriteri with views up towards the Abel Tasman National Park, the golden sands and azure waters of this scenic location have been the inspiration for many of Bill Burke’s paintings. His oil and pastel artworks are often quirky, capturing subtle nuances, from the satisfied expression of a sow lying on her side feeding her piglets, to the weather-worn face of an old farmer standing in a corrugated iron shed. Bill says he paints pretty much whatever catches his eye, and is as much known for his colourful landscapes, busy maritime scenes and farmyard animals, as he is for his portrayal of people. From an early age Bill Burke’s passion and focus has always been drawing and painting. He began drawing with pen & ink while at Nelson College, holding his first exhibition as a nineteen year old at the Chez Elco Gallery, drawing old Nelson historic homes and buildings. Bill spent a number of years painting in watercolour before introducing oils and then pastels, wonderfully recording New Zealand’s unique light and vibrant colours. Bill’s extremely polished technical skills are evident in his works and his painterly approach has often […]

   Welcome to The Suter Art Gallery – where art matters The Suter Art Gallery Te Aratoi o Whakatū is a memorial to the second Bishop of Nelson, Andrew Burn Suter (1830-1895). Bishop Suter and his wife Amelia travelled to Nelson in 1867 to lead the Anglican diocese and they became major figures in early Nelson society. In addition to his official duties, Bishop Suter also busied himself with artistic pursuits as a recreational painter and collector of art. In 1889 he established the Bishopdale Sketching Club (now the Nelson Suter Art Society) and served as its first President and critic. He was also a friend of the painter John Gully (1819-1888) and developed a substantial collection of that artist’s work. In 1890, the Bishop suffered a stroke which left him incapacitated for the last five years of his life. During this period he discussed his ‘long cherished wish’ to present an art gallery to the people of Nelson. Immediately after the Bishop’s death in 1895, Amelia began to realise her husband’s dream. She gifted some land, money and Bishop Suter’s art collection as the founding donation. Herself unwell, Amelia then returned to England and died barely a year […]