The Arts Centre Te Matatiki Toi Ora

This gorgeous Gothic building used to be the former site of Canterbury College. After the University of Canterbury was relocated in 1974, the building was turned into an arts center. The entire building is large in scale and distinctive in style. The walls are made of beautiful patterns made of stones, which is impressive. 1. Experience life with artists There are many artist workshops in the Art Center, where you can see artists at work, as well as many unique craft shops, restaurants and cafes with elegant atmosphere. However, unfortunately, the Art Center was damaged by the earthquake in 2011 and has not yet been repaired, so you can only see it from the outside. 2. In the art market on weekends, you can find high-quality and low-cost special handicrafts. If you come here on weekends, there will be wonderful markets around the art center. There are many stalls selling all kinds of unique handicrafts, whether they are made in New Zealand. Kauri wood crafts, intricately crafted jade necklaces or brightly coloured pottery are artistic and affordable.