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Artstation building celebrates centenary
4 September 2006
Artstation building celebrates centenary
September marks the 100th birthday of the building that is home to Auckland City's community arts facility, Artstation.
The Queen Anne style building was designed by government architect John Campbell and built in 1906.
It served as the former Newton Police Barracks before being taken over by Auckland City in the late 1970s and turned into a community cultural centre.
The Artstation name was adopted in 1997 to reflect the wide range of art activities and workshops for children and adults. Artstation's open access studios include a darkroom, cast glass facility and a print studio, and there is also a gallery to view artworks produced by our city's diverse communities.
To mark the centenary, Artstation has several special events planned during the Auckland Heritage Festival. These include:
* a series of workshops revisiting the arts and crafts current at the beginning of the 20th century * lectures on the Artstation building and site * a guided tour of the area giving an insight into pre European history * a solar power light work art installation * an exhibition of work by current Artstation tutors and staff which celebrates the life of the building.
For more information about the centenary events or the history of Artstation, visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/artstation or phone 376 3221.
To find out about the Auckland Heritage Festival, visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/heritage or phone 379 2020.
History of the Artstation building
The building started life in 1906 as the Newton Police barracks and served as one of the "boundary" police stations of Auckland city. The police staff slept in partitioned areas in the present gallery and upstairs studio. Downstairs was the Watch Room, Uniform Room, Detectives Room and Reading Room. The holding cells are still in existence in a separate building in the Artstation courtyard.
In 1969 the building was vacated when Police functions were relocated to Cook Street. From this period until 1978 the building was vacant, or used for a variety of manufacturing, clothing and security businesses.
In 1978 the building was reopened as Outreach - Auckland City Cultural Centre when the ongoing programme of arts and cultural events was established.
In 1997 the building and programme were renamed Artstation.
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