Black Box Theatre at Te Matatiki Toi Ora

Help us make the Black Box Theatre happen – a small, dark and flexible space that can be transformed to transport an audience to another time and place!

THE PROJECT

Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre is seeking funding to create a new flexible black box theatre in the North Quad for smaller community performances. The plan is to reinvent the old Cloisters Theatre space and fit it out as a 50- to 70-person Black Box Theatre.

To make this a usable, flexible and exciting space, it requires lighting, flexible seating and a sound system, as well as a series of heavy black curtains.

THE STORY

Formerly home to a single-screen cinema called The Cloisters, this space was successfully used in 2020 as the “Sonic Room” when experimental sonic music played in the empty, raw space with a dirt floor.

Looking forward, the simplicity of this open space will allow it to be used to create a variety of configurations of stage and audience interaction, with the most human and least technical elements in focus.

This new space will be versatile and easy to change, encouraging the audience to focus on the perfprmers, and the absence of colour gives the audience a sense of "anyplace" and allows flexibility from production to production. It also allows for an innovative lighting design to shine through, and a new lighting rig and modern LED lights will be key.

The black box can be a place where experimental theatre, music or dance can be explored, and allow small performing groups in Ōtautahi to have an accessible and affordable platform.

THE PEOPLE

The aim is to support and nurture community and experimental performance events by providing a smaller, high-quality space at affordable rates.

Bringing in different groups that wouldn’t be able to fill a big space (such as The Great Hall) removes barriers for arts companies. We want many more smaller, unique groups to put on amazing productions at Te Matatiki as this dark flexible space can be transformed to transport an audience to another time and place!

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT

Your support enables Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre to install the Black Box Theatre in the North Quad.

It is planned to be available by summer 2022, ready to house all types of rehearsals performances!

And even better - as part of the Boost Ōtautahi campaign, your donation to the Black Box Theatre at Te Matatiki Toi Ora project will be matched dollar for dollar by funding from Rātā Foundation, Christchurch City Council and Creative New Zealand, up to $5,000. So, if you give $50, this is matched by an additional $50, making the total donation $100! And you can claim a 33% tax credit on your part of the donation, so it only actually costs you $34 to make a $100 difference. Magic.

THE FUTURE

The Black Box Theatre at Te Matatiki Toi Ora will be a community asset for all - welcoming performers and theatre-goers alike to The Arts Centre.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT