Arts projects

Town Hall Arts Precinct project | Q Theatre

Town Hall Arts Precinct project

The Aotea Quarter plan has the vision to develop the Aotea Quarter as a thriving arts and entertainment hub in the cultural heart of the city. As part of this vision, Auckland City Council has given its support, in principle, to the concept of developing an arts hub in the area south of the Auckland Town Hall. This is known as the Town Hall arts precinct.

The idea is to build a home for many of our performing arts groups, where they can create and rehearse their work. It will also house creative businesses, resulting in a dynamic mix of cultural agencies, cafés, bars and other lifestyle/retail businesses. All of these situated around a central courtyard that is intimate in scale and in keeping with the unique character and feel of the existing heritage buildings and surrounds. It will be a unique cultural destination for Aucklanders and visitors to the city.

The construction of Q Theatre is seen as a core component of the Town Hall arts precinct.

A business case was formed in 2007 and presented to council at the start of 2008. Council has decided to defer the Town Hall Arts Precinct for three years due to the impact the project's capital costs and ongoing operational subsidy would have on rates.

For further information on this project, please contact us.

Background

In late 2004, Auckland City Council commissioned the initial research and consultation on the concept of developing an arts precinct. A clear vision emerged with strong support from a range of arts groups and other stakeholders.

In April 2005, this concept was work-shopped with councillors, and formally reported to the Urban Strategy and Governance Committee in August 2005. The committee endorsed the vision subject to the recommendations of the Outside the Square advisory group.

The Outside the Square advisory group, made up of leading architects and urban designers, was tasked with assessing the current challenges facing Aotea Square and the Civic Car Park. The group supported the idea of an arts precinct in the south Town Hall area on the basis that it would contribute to the development of the wider Aotea Quarter as the Auckland city's premier arts, entertainment and cultural quarter.

The next stage of the project, in 2006, established a high level master plan, which demonstrated that the proposed site for the precinct could accommodate the required building mass to deliver the vision.

After the master plan, Auckland City Council's Property Enterprise Board was involved in developing and presenting a viable Town Hall arts precinct development business case to the council. As explained above, the council decided to place the Town Hall arts precinct on hold for three years.

Q Theatre

New Theatre Initiative (NTI)

A need for a flexible, medium-sized form theatre was first identified in 1997. Auckland City Council has been an active partner in finding out how this need could be met.

The proposed theatre will:

fill a current gap in the venue mix in the city. At the moment there are some large venues and a number of very small ones, but nothing in the mid-size range (250-450 seats) that offers flexibility in terms of stage and seating
play a creative development role by working with theatre producers and practitioners to develop the "art" and audiences. It is anticipated that this will help "thicken" and grow the sector.

The new theatre will complement the Town Hall, Civic Theatre, Aotea Centre, and smaller venues like the Silo Theatre and the Classic Comedy Club to enhance the existing arts and culture hub in this area.

The theatre will be governed and managed by an independent theatre trust. It will not be "owned" by any one production company and it will be more than just a venue for hire. The aim is to create a home and heart for the theatre community.

The new theatre was named Q Theatre in November 2006.

Since being proposed, the total budget for the theatre has increased from $17.8 million to $21 million. The council has committed the land and buildings to the project and earmarked a capital contribution of $9.2million plus ongoing operational support. Q Theatre has raised $5.1million themselves ($4.5 million of this is from the ASB Community Trust). The council's contribution is subject to Q Theatre raising the balance of funds required.

In February 2008, the council agreed to release $200,000 to Q Theatre to enable them to progress and obtain a resource consent, which is a prerequisite for central government funding through the Lotteries Grant Board.

A resource consent has now been issued and Q Theatre has lodged an application to the Significant Projects Fund for the balance of funding required ($6.7million), the outcome of which is expected in July 2008.

For further information please contact us or visit www.qtheatre.co.nz.

Drawing of proposed building - as viewed from Queen Street.

Drawing of the interior of the proposed building.

Drawings of proposed building - as viewed from Queen Street
and from the interior.

Updated May 2008