• 
• 
• 

Auckland’s creative community has received a major boost with the opening of a creative precinct which its backers say is the ‘right space in the right place at the right time’.

Auckland’s creative community has received a major boost with the opening of a creative precinct which its backers say is the ‘right space in the right place at the right time’.

The unveiling of Studio One Toi Tu, Auckland Council’s first creative precinct in the historic 1 Ponsonby Road building, is the first step in a region-wide plan to create collaborative, multi-use community spaces.

The studio will provide rooms and resources for creative people, community organisations and businesses to meet, work, rehearse and exhibit as well as hosting courses, programmes and events.

Waitemata Local Board Deputy Chair Pippa Coom says Studio One Toi Tu is the right space, in the right place, at the right time.

“We wanted to create a place for creative people and businesses and community organisations to meet, work, rehearse and exhibit in the heart of the Waitemata,” she says.

“Greater interaction between groups and individuals means vibrant and connected communities which benefits everyone.”

The opening of the new precinct, which was welcomed by local community, members of the creative sector and elected representatives at its opening this week, included the unveiling of a temporary sculpture installation on the building façade.

Designed to alert passers-by to the exciting new chapter starting at 1 Ponsonby Road, the work by Alt Group is made up of paint drips symbolising the creativity flowing through the precinct and seeping out onto the street.

Ms Coom says the design is both literal and figurative, showing a new coat of paint on Studio One Toi Tu, a new attitude towards creative space, a respect for the heritage of the building and opening the way for creativity to flourish in Auckland.

“I am excited to see the start of this phase for this historic building. This is a significant building and its journey from being a police station to a place for all kinds of creative and community practice is a part of Auckland’s cultural history.”

Drop in any time to chat with the staff and residents, or discover new offerings at the Studio One Toi Tu Open Day on Saturday 5 July, 10am-4pm.

The Studio One building has an interesting history.

In 1906 the Studio One Toi Tu was first opened as the Newton Police Station and barracks. John Campbell, a Scottish architect who worked for the Government and is most well-known for his Post Office constructions, designed the building. With its Queen Anne facade, the building now has heritage status. In 1969 the Police relocated to Cook Street, and the building was mainly vacant for the next ten years, occasionally used for a variety of manufacturing, clothing and security businesses. In the late 70s the Auckland City Council took the building over.

In 1978 the building became Outreach, which was a cultural drop-in centre devoted to visual and performing arts, an extension of the Auckland City Art Gallery. Outreach was funded by the Auckland City Council and had the aim of meeting the social needs of the community, especially young people, with the intent of enriching lives based on a belief in the transformative value of the arts. Many of Auckland’s senior visual artists who have a community emphasis to their practice were involved with Outreach at some point.

In 1997 the name Artstation Toi Tu was adopted for the precinct. The Te Reo part of the name translated directly means: artistic pursuit (toi); to stand/be erect/hold on to forever (tu). The name-change acknowledged the history of the site and aimed to reflect the types of audience catered to and activities offered by the facility at the time, which were mainly visual arts education programmes based in a painting and drawing studio, darkroom (housed in the cell block), cast glass workspace and print room. There was one large gallery upstairs for exhibitions.

On 25 June this year the precinct was named Studio One Toi Tu – a space for creative organisations and individuals, and community groups to meet, work, rehearse and exhibit. The renaming followed a new strategic direction responding to the 21st century make-up of the local community, with a desire to be inclusive to all Aucklanders and art forms. Studio One Toi Tu has four down-stairs galleries; and multi-use spaces for courses, events and projects, and for general hire. It also has spaces for resident creatives. The phrase ‘Toi Tu’ was retained from the former facility name as it remains relevant.

Media release: Auckland Council