Community Arts Facilities Gaps Analysis

The purpose of this report is to provide information to Nelson City Council on the current provision and use of community arts facilities in Nelson. A range of venues operates across Nelson, each set up
to cater to different art forms and audience sizes.

Nelson City Council has made significant capital and operational investments in the city’s premier arts facilities – the Theatre Royal, the Nelson Centre of Musical Arts and the Suter Art Gallery. These are regionally significant venues that regularly attract high quality performances and exhibitions.

Cost, availability and venue size are cited as barriers to community use of these venues. There are several smaller venues that are used by the community, including the Red Door Theatre, Fairfield House, the Refinery ArtSpace, and The Boathouse. However, the fit-out of these is generally minimal, and groups face significant costs that are additional to the hire fees depending on their
need for staging, lighting and sound.

Nelson City Community Arts Facilities Gaps Analysis 14 June 2022 (3.1MB PDF)