Creative New Zealand has stepped in with $35,000 to help Wellington theatre company BATS find a new, temporary home.

BATS Theatre’s 1 Kent Terrace building, the company’s home for 22 years, will close for earthquake strengthening and refurbishing at the end of this year.

Creative New Zealand has stepped in with $35,000 to help Wellington theatre company BATS find a new, temporary home.

BATS Theatre’s 1 Kent Terrace building, the company’s home for 22 years, will close for earthquake strengthening and refurbishing at the end of this year.

The company had planned to move into the McKenzie Theatre in the Capital E complex. However, when a report identified the Capital E building as potentially earthquake prone, BATS took the opportunity to look at alternatives.

Creative New Zealand has agreed to provide BATS with a one-off Flexi-Fund of $35,000 towards rent assistance due to these exceptional circumstances. This will allow the company to continue their 2013 season as planned in an alternative central city venue, a former pub, upstairs on the corner of Cuba and Dixon St.

“It’s great to see Creative New Zealand recognising the value of and supporting new New Zealand theatre,” says BATS Board Chair, Victoria Spackman.

BATS is funded under Creative New Zealand’s Toi Totara Haemata Investment programme, fulfilling the key role of “creating and presenting experimental and excellent work by young and emerging New Zealand theatre practitioners”. 

BATS will move into its temporary home in February, 2013. Their Kent Terrace premises are set to reopen in 2014.

Media Release: Creative New Zealand