Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) elected members will be asked to confirm $5.4M grant funding for the development of an arts and cultural hub based in Frankton when they meet this Wednesday.

QLDC General Manager Community Services Thunes Cloete confirmed that the proposed funding with the 2021-2031 Ten Year Plan was to assist Council and Te Atamira Trust who are working together on the project.

“The Three Lakes Cultural Trust has advocated to QLDC for an arts and cultural hub to be established following a report commissioned by AEA Consulting. In the last few years, there has been increasing pressure with the current facilities not meeting the needs of community groups in terms of space and availability, coupled with the proposed Project Manawa in the Queenstown CBD that will require the temporary relocation of groups that have been operating around the Stanley Street site. The proposed facility is to be named Te Atamira - which in te reo Māori references a performance stage or platform with a large space, with space identified to be in the Remarkables Park Town Centre. This is an opportunity to create a new shared place for arts and cultural groups within a facility proposed to be leased for ten years,” said Dr Cloete.

Chair of the Three Lakes Cultural Trust, Carroll Joynes said, “the proposed facility provides a unique opportunity to ensure that the physical infrastructure of the district is developed in a manner that enables residents to have access to the highest calibre visual and performing arts, as well as pathways to their own creative endeavours. Despite the pandemic, the Whakatipu Basin has continued to expand and strengthen its artistic and cultural community, and this new proposed facility will help accelerate it to grow and flourish.”

The proposed Council funding to be considered at the 30 June Council meeting includes lease and operating costs for a ten-year period.

The funding remains subject to the successful negotiation of terms between the Council and the Trust. Should the negotiations be successful Te Atamira Trust has committed to fundraising nearly $4M for the fit out and operations.

A site has been identified and, if the funding is approved, will be operated by Te Atamira Trust.

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