Neighbourhood

Scorpio Books

120 Hereford Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011

Scorpio Books is a locally owned and operated independent bookstore with the best range of books in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Our staff are friendly, knowledgeable and eclectic readers ready with lots of recommendations at the ready. Browse the shelves and settle into a comfy chair. Discover the best new releases in fiction and non-fiction, our staff favourites and all manner of bookish delights. Or, shop in our online store. We also host in-store book launches, author talks and our very own book club on the first Tuesday of the month. And if you can’t find what you’re looking for, let us know. If the book is still in print, we can order it for you.

Our speciality travel bookstore, Scorpio Books Next Door, is located just across the courtyard. We stock books for young readers, too, a few steps away at Telling Tales.

Website link: http://www.scorpiobooks.co.nz/

Telling Tales

101 Cashel Street, Christchurch Central City, Christchurch 8011

Telling Tales: Scorpio Children’s Books is a specialty bookstore for young readers. It is located directly across the courtyard from Scorpio Books.

Our store is a treasure trove for the children of Ōtautahi and the child within us all. We thoughtfully select our books and aim to ignite imaginations and inspire a thirst for knowledge. Books and the stories they hold, we believe, have a unique capacity to inspire and connect us to a better future.

Website link: https://scorpiobooks.co.nz/tellingtales/

Black Box, theatres and venues at Papa Hou.

Objectspace is Aotearoa New Zealand’s leading gallery dedicated to design, craft and architecture. Through exhibitions, events and publishing, the gallery celebrates the past, present and future of the country’s material culture.

Objectspace’s architectural outpost in Ōtautahi Christchurch is the former workplace, home and gallery of Sir Miles Warren. Designed in 1975 to wrap around the back garden at 65 Cambridge Terrace, the space is crafted in Sir Miles’ iconic modernist style.

In March 2023, The Warren Trust generously gifted the use of the gallery space to Objectspace, with the support of its current tenants, Te Kahui Whaihanga NZIA Canterbury Branch and Athfield Architects. After a great six months of programming exhibitions and events in the space, Objectspace committed to continuing to run the space as a satellite gallery alongside their main space in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

You can visit free exhibitions and attend events at Objectspace’s Christchurch venue all year round.

Image credits:

Objectspace in Ōtautahi at Sir Miles Warren Gallery, photographs by Natalie Bascand, including installation views of the exhibitions

Artist: Lewis Tamihana Gardiner.

Bronze sculpture installed on the corner of Cashel Street and High Street in 2017

Artist: Phillip Price.

Commissioned by the Art & Industry Biennial Trust and unveiled during SCAPE 2006 Biennial of Art in Public Space.

Artist: David Marshall.

Artist David Marshall sculptured the three life-sized corgis in 2003 to celebrate the 50th Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II.

Artist: Anton Parsons.

Passing Time is a twisting ribbon of randomly linked boxes – with each box depicting one of the years between 1906 and 2010.

Artist: Mark Whyte.

This 10-tonne pile of coal, cast in concrete, is about honouring the city’s industrial history.

Ghostcat – Make Art Not War

They say the pen is mightier than the sword…

Sometimes we need to write the change we want to see on the walls of the city. Ghostcat’s design literally writes for peace, the artist’s hand scrawling a peace sign as a reminder that we need to make art, not war…

A collaboration between Ghostcat, Dr Suits and Dcypher, this mural combines a timely political statement with a twist – the painting joined by a three-dimensional element. A menacing tank is crossed out in a pink peace sign, the giant pen used to do so still evident. Painted for the 2022 Flare Street Art Festival, this work celebrates creativity over conflict.

Ghostcat has established himself as one of Ōtautahi’s most popular and unique artists; his miniature sculptural pieces both exploring the intricacies of the urban environment and playful subverting our experiences of the streets. Follow Ghostcat online: @ghostcat_mb

Mural location: 163 High Street

Ikarus – Graffiti Game

You have to start at Level One…

Inspired by his experiences as a graffiti artist, Ikarus’ bold design depicts the importance of guidance and mentorship – the larger spray can imparting knowledge to the younger ‘bombs’.

Produced for the 2022 Flare Street Art Festival, Ikarus’ mural is a celebration of the potential of graffiti art to change the way a city looks. From the culture’s creative aesthetic to the sense of community and history, the work reflects the artist’s own experiences and suggests the importance of positive opportunities.

A legend in Ōtautahi’s graffiti scene, Ikarus is an artist, mentor and advocate, celebrating the impact of graffiti art in shaping our urban environments. Follow Ikarus online: @highdoctornick

Mural location: 81 Welles Street

Jen-Heads – Jen-Head

What’s on your mind?

You may find this design familiar – Jen-Heads’ recurring portrait designs have appeared throughout the city! The psychological portraits suggest our inner thoughts, in this case our connection to nature and ability to bloom.

Jen-Heads’ stylised portraits reveal our inner workings, the repeated icons suggesting our shared traits and our differences. This brightly coloured yet serene painting, blooming with greenery, is waiting to be discovered inside the BOXed Quarter, a prize for exploring eyes…

As co-owner and director of Sydenham’s Fiksate Gallery, Jenna Ingram plays a central role in Ōtautahi’s urban art scene, both as an artist and an arts organiser. Follow Jenna online: @jen_heads

Mural location: 207 St Asaph Street

Yikes – Rutherford

“A well-constructed theory is in some respects undoubtedly an artistic production.”

An atom radiates brightly, providing a spark of life. Jacob Yikes’ design pays tribute to the work of one of Ōtautahi’s most famous sons and someone who knew a fair bit about atomic energy…

This bristling mural by Jacob Yikes, Dcypher and Ikarus, pays tribute to one of Ōtautahi’s most celebrated icons – Nobel Prize winning physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford. The mural depicts the famed scientist and the environment of the original Canterbury College, but brought to life in vibrant, humming colour through the buzzing atomic elements that span the wall.

Follow Yikes online: @jacobyikes

Mural location: 193 St Asaph Street

Yikes – Alice

“I wonder which way I ought to go.”

This design by Jacob Yikes is inspired by one of his most iconic murals – a homage to Alice’s, an Ōtautahi institution, but also the fantastical world of cinema and the characters and stories we have come to love.

Jacob Yikes’ cinematic mural is a perfect addition to the much-loved Alice’s Cinema. In Yikes’ distinctive style, the central figure of Alice is surrounded by film references, from E.T. to Star Wars and beyond, all imbued with a sense of playful whimsy.

Follow Yikes online: @jacobyikes

Mural location: 209 Tuam Street

Yikes – Blue

Home can be a balancing act

Home has played an important part in Jacob Yikes’ work, locations loaded with meaning and a sense of life. Inspired by the places he has lived, Yikes gives life to his houses, making them characters in his art.

Adding a blast of blue to a dilapidated corner of the famous Cathedral Square, Jacob Yikes’ unmistakable style is clearly evident in this massive work. A teetering composition plays with expectations; angles and recesses inviting inspection and revealing surprising details, even more so from different perspectives.

Jacob Yikes’ surreal style has become synonymous with Ōtautahi urban art, playful and surprising, often bringing elements of the city to life. Follow Yikes online: @jacobyikes

Mural location: 51 Cathedral Square

Dcypher – Idea Factory

What does it take to bring an idea to life?

This little character is full of spark, a representation of an idea coming to life. Dcypher has added his signature style to this design, a bold comic-inspired image with punch!

Dcypher’s playful mural is a literal idea factory – lightbulbs shooting out of a brain machine before running the gamut of challenges and obstacles, only the best making it to the light of day – a fun way to celebrate the importance of persistence.

Follow Dcypher online: @dcypher_dtrcbs

Mural location: 25 Welles Street

Dcypher – Antarctic

Can you feel the icy winds?

Dcypher depicts a sleek penguin diving under icy water as it explores the arctic environment. Ōtautahi has a long history with the Antarctic, our city a gateway to ‘The Ice’.

Painted by Dcypher and Jacob Yikes, this massive mural celebrates Ōtautahi’s status as a gateway to the Antarctic. The crisp scene, featuring a swarm of penguins diving into glacial water, brings a slice of the ice to central Christchurch.

One of Ōtautahi’s most celebrated mural artists, Dcypher’s skill is evident in his diverse and impressive output of detailed and highly visible public works. Follow Dcypher online: @dcypher_dtrcbs

Wongi – Bubblegum

An explosive piece of street art

This design by Wongi Wilson reveals the artist’s graffiti moniker, formed amidst a fiery explosion and billowing cloud. The hidden letters spell out FREAK, a perfect identity for a hugely talented Wongi Wilson.

Painted for Flare Street Art Festival in 2022, Wongi Wilson’s explosive painting is a prime example of the artist’s ability to seamlessly slide between impressive realism and bold graphic stylings, while also a perfect fit with the bustling city environment, packed with small details and bright colours.

Follow Wongi online: @wongi.wilson

Wongi – Rollickin’

Do you recognise these tattoos?

The tattooed arm in Wongi Wilson’s design will lead you to some of Ōtautahi’s tastiest treats. The bold ink work belongs to one of the crew at Rollickin’ Gelato and is perfectly recreated by the artist, the cool confectionery though, remains just out of sight…

Wongi Wilson is one of Ōtautahi’s most well-known urban artists and his realistic painting on the side of Rollickin’ Gelato in City Mall has become a beloved piece of street art; a reminder of the sweet treats within reach at a Christchurch institution and Wilson’s freakish technique with a spraycan.

Wongi Wilson has created dozens of murals across Ōtautahi, his skilful and versatile work transforming the cityscape. Follow Wongi online: @wongi.wilson

Mural location: 108 Cashel Street/City Mall

“This form is inspired by the mighty Koru (new life and growth), and shows the stir of leaves in the wind as the times change. Night to day, dark to light, winter to spring – these changes are natural and we will always be dip diving in and out– so stay inspired to be always moving into these new ways of life and embrace your growth.” – Apex the Artist

Toi Auaha is a dedicated studio space for local artists and creatives.

An affordable space is coming to central Ōtautahi – a testing ground for innovators, communities, entrepreneurs, creatives and educators.

Located at 110 Cashel Street Mall, The LiVS (Life in Vacant Spaces) Incubator is an insulated, 20 ft container that will provide participants with 14m2 of accessible, affordable and temporary central city space where individuals or groups can test out an early idea or project.

Depending on the project, time within the incubator will range from a minimum of 10 days up to a maximum of 2 months. This allows participants to commit to a certain time period and prototype their idea within a real world space. Having temporary projects in the space will allow for a diverse and ever-changing offering of projects over a 12 month period.

‘’We have a number of people coming to us (LiVS) with some amazing ideas to showcase, however, the commercial cost of a central city space is far out of reach for these individuals; Let alone a 12 month lease! We wanted to give people an opportunity to be able to showcase their projects and ideas and bring back some of the diversity of projects central Christchurch once had.’’ – Elisha Blogg, LiVS Director

‘’The world is currently going through significant change and we want to continue to support great ideas and encourage people to give things a go. LiVS recognises that starting out and getting something off the ground can be difficult to navigate. The Incubator is here to help individuals kick off their journey with additional support through collaboration’’– Lydia Thomas – LiVS Project Coordinator

Throughout the duration of each project, LiVS will provide advice and practical support around funding and project management. Participants can also benefit from LiVS’s wide range of networks and many years of experience to assist in the project’s success! If a particular project does thrive within the temporary space, LiVS can then work with the participant to find an ongoing more permanent and suitable space for the project.

The Incubator will kick off on the 13th September hosting The White Room Creative Space. An open air exhibition celebrating 10 years of LiVS as an organisation will also be on display alongside the Incubator on Cashel Street Mall from the 13th – 29th September.

If you have a great idea that you would like the opportunity to explore further through the LiVS Incubator, then email info@livs.org.nz.

FIBRE Gallery is distinctly a Moana gallery dedicated to the display of community-engaged, digital and heritage arts by Moana artists and creatives from throughout Aotearoa.

RDU is a not-for-profit alternative music radio station based in Christchurch. For 45 years, RDU 98.5FM has been championing local musicians and broadcasting their music. There are 140 + volunteer radio show hosts who come to RDU each week and dedicate their time to promoting local music, local events, and involving the people who make up our audience. Over 300 tracks from Ōtautahi’s musicians have been playlisted on RDU 98.5FM in the last 12 months. RDU’s broadcast studio is based in The BOXed Quarter on St Asaph Street, and also operates a smaller satellite studio based at the University of Canterbury, RDU Broadcasts live from both, and is a stone’s throw of SALTBOX Studios.

SALTBOX Studios is located on St Asaph Street, in the SALT District, Central Christchurch, Aotearoa. There are 3 studios within the SALTBOX Studio. 1 large studio and 2 medium sized studios. The central, medium sized studio is the control room. This control room houses our audio recording equipment, audio mastering equipment, a vinyl lathe and a video suite to edit and produce video content.

The second smaller studio and the larger studio can be used for music performance and rehearsals. These two studios are equipped with guitar amps, bass guitar amps, full drum kits, a PA, and materials such as whiteboards and markers to help assist artists with writing and rehearsing.

Located in the heart of Ōtautahi, Te Matatiki Toi Ora is an Aotearoa landmark – home to galleries, museums, cinemas, boutique retailers, eateries and bars, events, creative and educational organisations, hireable venues, accommodation and much more. It’s remarkable Gothic Revival style buildings provide space where arts, culture, education and creativity can thrive. Te Matatiki Toi Ora has a lively events programme featuring regular concerts, exhibitions, festivals, workshops, activities and more, providing stimulation and entertainment for all.

Positioned across a whole central city block, it houses New Zealand’s largest collection of category one listed historic buildings. The centre dates to 1877 when it housed Canterbury College (now the University of Canterbury). It also originally housed Christchurch Girls’ High and Christchurch Boys’ High schools. Since 1978 it has been The Arts Centre, an independent charitable trust for the people of Canterbury and its visitors.

Recognised nationally, and celebrated locally, for the depth of its work, the CSO believes that music can enrich lives in different ways and aims to share these experiences with as many people as possible through providing a wide range of ways in which our audiences can discover, encounter, and enjoy great musical experiences.

The orchestra contributes to the cultural diversity of the community through a full and varied concert season, as the orchestra of choice for many touring artists and other arts organisations, including the Royal New Zealand Ballet, and through its extensive Community Engagement programme, including school residencies, collaborations with other organisations such as Jolt Dance, library and retirement village performances, and at civic events.

In 2016 and 2019, the CSO received a Highly-Commended certificates in the Arts Access Awards for their collaboration with Christchurch dance company Jolt. The CSO won the 2021 Arts Access Aotearoa Community Award for its work in Christchurch Men’s Prison through the Platform programme.

The orchestra was also twice a finalist in the New York Festival Radio awards, along with Radio New Zealand, and, in 2020, won the gold award for the live broadcast of the CSO’s 2019 opening Lamb & Hayward Masterworks concert, Phoenix.

Ngā Kōrero Auaha – Creative stories is situated at Tūranga in the central city. 

A video and audio studio allows people to record their own stories and there is also an archive online of stories and interviews.

Where everyone can learn, make and design.

Our creative and learning spaces welcome everyone. It does not matter if you have just got started, or are reigniting a creative passion. We’re not experts in everything, but we’re here to help.

We have some amazing technology available around our Christchurch City Libraries – including vinyl printers and cutters, laser cutters, 3D printers, sewing machines, overlockers and embroidery machines, heat pressers, vacuum formers, craft cutters and badge makers.

Zealand. Since its inception in 1997, the organisation has been steadily building in size, reputation,

awareness, international participation and popularity within the Christchurch and South Island community

Hagley Dance Project is a year long, part time course that focuses on choreography, technique and performance.

The Hagley Writers’ Institute is a not-for-profit creative writing school for adults in Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Resourcefulness is creating what we need from what is around & within us, for the wellbeing of planet & people.

Rekindle creates opportunities for resourcefulness through craft in a variety of workshops and classes for everyone.

Ernest Rutherford mural  – by Dcypher/ XL Street Murals; Jacob Yikes; Ikarus DTR Crew

The Kunstautomat by Lars Kaiser is a unique art vending machine that dispenses one-of-a-kind artworks in a box for $6.00 each.

The Kunstautomat project is a collaboration between Toi Ōtautahi, Lars Kaiser and the Goethe Institut NZ.

The Central Art Gallery is a dealer gallery in Christchurch, New Zealand. We show established contemporary New Zealand artists with a desirable body of work, whilst always keeping our experienced eye on aspiring artists of the future.

We offer a beautiful and welcoming space that brings people and art together. Our philosophy is to create an uplifting gallery experience, demystifying the journey, and elevating the art.

The Central connects artists and the community. We value enjoyment through learning and will educate, challenge and seek to bring art into everyday conversations.

In its renowned venue, The Library Building within the Arts Centre, The Central hosts exhibition openings, artist talks and art groups.

Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū is a catalyst for ambitious creativity in Ōtautahi Christchurch, collaborating with artists, and extending the Gallery’s influence beyond its walls.

Our focus is on investing in the creation of new work, from its inception through to its potential acquisition, and representing the Gallery’s programme in a new integrated way that reflects Christchurch now. Our collection is this city’s treasury of art, a pātaka of our history, a rich armoury of images, memories and ideas. It’s part of us, and it gets more interesting over time, as works of art connect with us and each other, combining with our histories to enrich us all

– Blair Jackson, Director

Fringe theatre on The Terrace.

Little A is a 100-seat indie theatre tucked away in the middle of Ōtautahi’s hottest nightlife, The Terrace. You’ll normally find a whole lot of new shows here every week – emerging professional artists with awesome ideas, and established artists performing new material.

Whether you want to see small intimate theatre productions, or come to our regular improv comedy show PERFUCT, or watch comedians play Dungeons and Dragons once a month, or see the country’s hottest comedians when they’re in Christchurch, or see music, dance, poetry… or even just come and hang out in the bar… we’re here for you.

Canterbury Patchwork and Quilting Guild promotes patchwork and quilting skills to all ages and cultural backgrounds through education, exhibitions and meetings in a supportive environment.

In 2017 NMG realised a long-term ambition to open a second gallery in Ōtautahi Christchurch. The new 250sqm space, designed in collaboration with award winning architects PRau, has allowed the gallery to broaden its curatorial programme.

NMG Christchurch is situated on the ground of Wynn Williams building on the corner of Montreal and Hereford Streets – within a block of the Christchurch Art Gallery.

The Centre of Contemporary Art Toi Moroki (CoCA) is a leading art gallery in Ōtautahi Christchurch, governed by the Canterbury Society of Arts Charitable Trust, and chartered with the objective to foster people’s connection and appreciation for the art of our time. CoCA presents a dynamic programme of exhibitions offering an expansive view of contemporary art and diverse cultural perspectives, supported by compelling, participatory arts experiences, within our gallery, across the community, and beyond.