Arts Hub Debate
Economic Benefits - Costs
Option 1
Residents supporting Option 1 emphasize the unnecessary financial burden of purchasing a new building for an arts hub, especially given the current economic climate and the availability of existing arts facilities. Many argue that the arts, perceived as a niche interest, should not be funded by public money but rather by those directly involved or through private funding. There is a strong sentiment that council funds could be more effectively allocated to other pressing community needs or existing infrastructure, rather than investing in new arts facilities.
Table of comments:
| Point No | Comment |
|---|---|
| 75.8 | It seems a luxury to have this at a time of austerity. Nelson has an arts hub in the form of the Suter, and the NCMA....the availability of plenty of buildings to lease means there should be n need to buy a building |
| 75.8 | It seems a luxury to have this at a time of austerity. Nelson has an arts hub in the form of the Suter, and the NCMA....the availability of plenty of buildings to lease means there should be n need to buy a building |
| 155.8 | Prefer NO 'art hub'. Nelson will never retain the young.We have Theatre Royal, Music School & Suter, why more? |
| 171.8 | There are already multiple empty commercial spaces in Nelson and more will be added as the recession continues and the economic environment changes (physical retail struggles and the impacts of work from home). Purchasing a building is unnecessary and more costly than leasing/renting in an oversupplied market. |
| 172.8 | Not essential at this time in these economic circumstances. Save our money, keep rates down! |
| 223.7 | It’s a very elitist hobby, let the people who are interested pay for whatever resourses they need. |
| 252.5 | I disagree with funding arts projects since they have limited appeal outside of an art-specific audience and I am unconvinced of the social and economic benefit of such investments to the wider community |
| 275.8 | Not a good time to do this either, not against it but there may be better times in the future |
| 319.8 | I believe there is more pressing places to spend councils money |
| 441.8 | The Arts Hub is an obvious project to cull as it is not a core NC activity. On the numerous times I have passed the Refinery I have seldom seen it populated - probably because it's exhibitions are so woefully unpopular (does the Arts Council even keep a record of footfall?). Why then expand/increase spending on something already seemingly moribund? From personal experience (my wife is a successful local jeweler) we have found the Arts Council and it's various off-shoots to be ineffective, non-inclusive and nepotistic - I can't see how spending extra rate payers money on giving them an enhanced location would change this one iota. |
| 450.8 | sell off some the council owned sculpture and installations and put the money back into more important things, like infrastructure and rubbish removal |
| 504.8 | once again Im apprehensive about council purchasing a building for this and spending yet more money ---spending has to decrease.....we can still have a vibrant art scene in Nelson without buying buildings which cost so much |
| 641.8 | seriously...use what we have! |
| 751.8 | lets see how inner city property availability plays out over the next few years... no hurry for this proposal |
| 849.7 | this would be another proposal that can save the council money and reduce rates increases. Alternatively artist and there organisation's could contribute to any cost, just as the sporting codes are contributing to the cost of the sports turf upgrades |
| 881.8 | extra expenses for the tax payers for the Arts again for a very small elite group of people of Nelson . We have a gallery called The Suter which was very expensive to "renovate" with a 40% increase in the sector of Construction theses days and the prices of buildings is not a clever investment for NCC. Again frivolous unsustainable move for NCC. |
| 934.8 | The smallest contribution, the arts seems to be overly funded for return in our community, the council needs to broaden their horizons and see what else is worth investing in our community. |
| 1040.6 | The proposed cost of the purchase of a new building and establishing an arts hub coupled with the cost to demolish the old Refinery Building on Hardy street should be used in combination to bring that Heritage building back into service and use it to provide an actual community space - the Arts Hub has lost the word community and it is a huge omission. While I have full support for Arts Council and the work they do both in advocacy but also as a Gallery and Office spaces for other arts entities there is the dire need for a more permanent solution to enabling a more socially equitable solution to space requirements for our marginalised communities>Community Art Works provides both a supportive and consistent service to peoples with diverse needs and who are in supported housing or require significant care, they also provide outreach and in house programmes for Rangitahi / Youth, Multi-cultural communities as well individual arts practitioners and groups who access the space and resources for projects that generally are of benefit to the Whakatū / Nelson Community.In describing itself as a vibrant creative city there are often image used which include masks, materials or circo-arts additions to events that originate from the CAW space. Council is right to look to the benefits that arts provides to the community / city as a whole but this is not wholly economic in the sense of generating money - but in the social benefit of creativity being something that is supported and enabled for all to achieve, and have access to.Council risks spending vast amounts of money on more strategy documents and provisioning a 'hub' while ignoring the potential for existing spaces to be utllised - there is huge potential for multiple groups to successfully collaborate through the old Refinery Building which is still central (the CBD being only a few blocks anyway), its proximity to the beautiful natural amenity of the River and estuary will draw interest along the River reserve and bring more diverse groups to use this under appreciated area |
| 1100.6 | Artists will art without funding. More pressing issues for council funding |
| 1216.8 | The arts council has not proven itself to be a particularly dynamic organisation. Arts are funded though other institutions like the NCMA and the Suter and arts events funded via grants of dubious value from the Regional Development Agency. I support an increase in arts funding but not funding an arts hub. We already have a number of those eg Fairfield House, the Boathouse and the Theatre Royal. |
| 1225.8 | I Support Option 1 – notwithstanding the slanted negative summary set out thereinMy Comments include:- In the past two decades Council has effectively taken over (and under-written) the loss making Nelson School of Music (NMAC), Repertory Theatre, and Suter Gallery; and all have now come to expect substantial annual funding;- Council has built multi million dollar centres such as Greenmeadows and Trafalgar Centre extensions with little or no consideration as to how what is called “the arts community” could participate in the same.- There has been no truly independent report on “what is sought” or “why is the existing insufficient”: nor as to what ongoing annual contribution to running costs would be expected to be funded by Council- All reports on what was suggested should be in a new Library building included much in the way of public facilities – possibly in the nature of Arts Hub - and things that would be in competition with nearby rate paying businesses |
| 1243.3 | We already contribute far too much funding to the arts per capita in Nelson while other facilities are degrading rapidly. There is no way that any additional funding should be put in from council. If these people want a new hub then they should go out and source private equity funding themselves to get it done. |
| 1243.3 | We already contribute far too much funding to the arts per capita in Nelson while other facilities are degrading rapidly. There is no way that any additional funding should be put in from council. If these people want a new hub then they should go out and source private equity funding themselves to get it done. |
| 1290.8 | Nelson has a thriving arts community and we need to do everything we can to support and grow the arts in our city. However, purchasing a new building is a very expensive option that doesn't necessarily result in more and better arts in our city. I want to see the council to continue to invest heavily in the arts, but I believe we could get better value for money by investing in our existing arts infrastructure and improving the connectivity between the arts across the city. |
| 1290.8 | Nelson has a thriving arts community and we need to do everything we can to support and grow the arts in our city. However, purchasing a new building is a very expensive option that doesn't necessarily result in more and better arts in our city. I want to see the council to continue to invest heavily in the arts, but I believe we could get better value for money by investing in our existing arts infrastructure and improving the connectivity between the arts across the city. |
| 1329.7 | live within your means |
| 1338.7 | Arts Council Nelson should continue to operate where it is currently, and no new buildings should be purchased or constructed. Instead, if NCC is planning to build a new, multipurpose library building, provision to house them within that centre should be implemented, thus contributing to the artistic "hub", keeping it to a single building, and saving money. |
| 1345.8 | Until the proposal can clearly show that it has financial sustainability, status quo. Working creatively other council supported entities such as the Suter and Museum must have potential. |
| 1345.8 | Until the proposal can clearly show that it has financial sustainability, status quo. Working creatively other council supported entities such as the Suter and Museum must have potential. |
| 1373.8 | defer until we can afford |
| 1439.8 | See Key Issue No. 1 |
| 1482.8 | While we are very sympathetic with the idea of an arts hub, we are mindful of the uncertainties about the future of the Elma Turner library , and our advocacy in 2.2 above for increasing expenditure on the development of robust communities. We are also aware that there are present, albeit limited, facilities available.In this context we consider the proposed Option 2 should not be included with this LTP, and that Option 1 is adopted, but that the arts hub is flagged for integrative analysis along with the library and broader community issues to explore the viability and potential benefits of a more integrated approach in the foreseeable future. |
| 1489.8 | waste of money - investment in the arts hub - more could be done with the community and actually help the region |