Media Release
31 May 2013

Arts Centre to host Christchurch Arts Festival

The Arts Centre Market Square will once again be alive with music, dance and colourful performance, with the announcement of a new agreement to play host to the 2013 Christchurch Arts Festival.

The Festival will commence on 22 August and will be held over the five weekends, ending on 22 September.

Arts Centre chief executive, André Lovatt says the Festival will take place in Market Square in a purpose-built temporary venue: the Fletcher Building Festival Club.

“The Arts Centre is thrilled to be able to bring a significant arts festival back to the Arts Centre site. Hosting the Arts Festival enables us to bring people back to the Arts Centre to celebrate arts once more,” says Mr Lovatt.

“To us, it is incredibly important that while our focus is on the significant task of restoring the historic buildings on site, we do not forget the Arts Centre’s focus on arts, culture and education.”

The Festival will include more than 50 events, from music and theatre to circus and cabaret performances.

Christchurch Arts Festival Director Phillip Tremewan says the Arts Centre is an ideal venue for the event.

“Like the Arts Centre, the Christchurch Arts Festival has been a significant feature of the local arts calendar for many years and we are looking forward to showcasing new talent in the programme.

“This year, we really want bring the heart and soul back to central city and the Arts Centre’s central location makes it the perfect space to promote the arts, and lift and inspire people,” says Mr Tremewan.

Four key events have already been announced for the Christchurch Arts Festival, including CANTINA, a 1930’s underground cantina-cabaret, mixing acrobatic skills and vaudeville, to feature from 22nd August at the Arts Centre.

For more information about the Arts Festival visit www.artsfestival.co.nz. The full festival programme will be announced 19th June 2013.

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