A creative new home: Adding an innovative touch to the central city

The central city is increasingly being reimagined in a creative context and this re-envisioning is taking place in a more literal sense with the Arts Centre’s latest tenant.

Repurposing waste wood into furniture, sculpture and jewellery is at the heart of Rekindle, which has just made its new creative home at the Arts Centre, as part of a six-month licence under the Life in Vacant Spaces scheme (LiVS).
Rekindle’s relationship with the Arts Centre began last year when the Arts Centre commissioned a communal table and benches for the level 1 landing in the Boys’ High building. The table was installed in February 2018 and was made using Ash logs sourced from Hagley Park, gifted to Rekindle by Christchurch City Council.
“The traditional methods used by Rekindle’s craftspeople are a wonderful addition to our arts community and the Life in Vacant Spaces Scheme aligns perfectly with the Arts Centre’s vision to be a home for creative entrepreneurs and a nurturing environment for start-ups,” Arts Centre Acting CEO Jane Parfitt says.
The tenancy gives Rekindle the opportunity to re-establish its Resourceful Skills workshops and bring back craft to the Arts Centre and city centre.
“We have long hoped to be at the Arts Centre, as we strongly believe in craft being an essential and prominent part of our city,” Rekindle Director Juliet Arnott says.
“We hope to provide many opportunities for Cantabrians to become involved in craft, including activities during the school holidays for young people to learn the art of traditional greenwood-working methods as well as free public workshops.”