In an initiative to spice up activity in the area, City Council Community Arts staff have worked with the local businesses and residents associations and the community boards to organise the Mayfest in Sydenham.

"We wanted to provide an opportunity for Sydenham to highlight and promote its main street and the surrounding area through the development of an arts project," says Warren Pringle, Community Arts Co-ordinator, Christchurch City Council. "We’ve planned three weeks of vibrant festival-like activities for this year as a kind of ‘pilot’ programme, but we hope that from the contacts made and positive feedback we’re getting already, that local businesses and residents will be able to make it a yearly tradition."

For Art on the Southside fourteen Christchurch contemporary artists are to use the vacant WestpacTrust Bank at 370 Colombo Street to create and display their works.

"The aim of Art on the Southside is to create a sense of community involvement, and excitement by working with Christchurch based artists and the owners of Sydenham business premises in creating a temporary arts precinct," says Warren Pringle.

Artists involved include Dan Arps, Ella Reid, Kathleen Peacock, Adam Willetts, Emma Bugden, Sera Jensen, Brendan Lee, Michael Hornblow, James Meharry, Julaine Stephenson, Ciaran Begley, Katherine Claypole, Marcus Moore.

"It’s a great opportunity for the artists to profile their work, while contributing to a new look and feel for the Sydenham business district", says Warren Pringle.

The visual arts exhibition will be open Tuesdays to Saturdays, May 1 to 23^rd.

Further details about Mayfest in Sydenham are to follow, but so far include heritage walks and activities at local primary schools.

For further information contact the Council Community Arts Co-ordinators:

Warren Pringle (03) 941 8886 &