City Scene - October 2000: Art blossoms in Linwood Centre

October 2000

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Artist Gives Glimpse Of Chalice

Art blossoms in Linwood Centre

The Linwood Community Arts Centre at the corner of Stanmore Road and Worcester Street.

‘Recycled’ art at the Linwood Centre.

Worcester Street resident Jim Instone had a hop and a jump to take his metal artwork to Linwood Community Arts Centre.

This part-time artist and poet is a local resident who supports the centre, at the corner of Worcester Street and Stanmore Road. The centre, a Te Whare Roimata project, is always busy.

Jim displayed his recycled metal art works in the Re-Cycled Art exhibition last month. Centre's director Lesley McMillan says the arts are alive and well in Linwood.

"We never stop. We have holiday programmes for children, arts and crafts groups, activities for adults and so it goes on."

The centre offers low-cost studios, workshops and the main gallery for art as well as music, dance and drama. It even has a dark room for photographers to process black and white photos.

Local schools are involved in projects, too.

Lesley says the centre exists to help people fulfill their creative desires or to find them. "The philosophy is to offer activities at a low- cost to folk on low incomes and, as we are a non-profit organisation and sometimes receive funding from other agencies, we are able to do this."

The centre started life as the offices of Linwood Borough Council in 1885. Architect Joseph Clarkson Maddison designed the building and when the council was taken over by Christchurch City Council in 1903, it became a library.

Linwood artist Jim Instone puts his ironwork exhibit in place at the Re- Cycled Art exhibition at Linwood Community Arts Centre.

In 1992 it closed as a volunteer library and in 1997 opened as the arts centre with an exhibition. It has not looked back.

"The emphasis is on the local community which has given tremendous support. It is a meeting place for people interested in the arts," Lesley says. "The fact that we are so busy shows how well the community has responded." She is full of praise for Hagley-Ferrymead Community Board's support of the centre's work.

This month the centre will mount a holiday programme; hold the Step Ahead art exhibition; former local resident Frank Glasson will hold his one-man art show, and the annual First Steps exhibition, for people who have not exhibited before, will be held.