Centre of Contemporary Art facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Centre of Contemporary Art |
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The CoCA gallery
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| General information | |
| Architectural style | modernist |
| Location | Christchurch Central City |
| Address | 66 Gloucester Street, Christchurch |
| Coordinates | 43°31′48″S 172°37′55″E / 43.5301°S 172.6320°E |
| Construction started | 1968 |
| Renovated | 2011–2016 |
| Renovation cost | NZ$4.1 m |
| Owner | CSA Charitable Trust |
| Design and construction | |
| Architecture firm | Minson, Henning Hansen |
The Centre of Contemporary Art (CoCA) is an art gallery in the heart of Christchurch, New Zealand. It used to be called the Canterbury Society of Arts. This gallery carefully chooses and displays modern art. A special group called the Canterbury Society of Arts Charitable Trust runs CoCA.
Contents
History of CoCA
How CoCA Started
CoCA began in 1880 as the Canterbury Society of Arts (CSA). It was the first group in Christchurch to show and collect artworks. Soon, it became the most important art society in New Zealand.
The CSA held its first art show in 1881. This was at Christchurch Boys' High School, which is now part of the Christchurch Arts Centre. The CSA played a big role in New Zealand's growing art world. In the 1930s, it showed art by "The Group." These were famous New Zealand painters like Rita Angus, Evelyn Page, and Doris Lusk.
In 1890, the CSA got its first permanent home. This building was designed just for them by Benjamin Mountfort, a famous New Zealand architect. It was a great example of the Gothic Revival style. This style used ideas from old Gothic buildings. In 1894, another gallery was added next door. It was designed by Richard Dacre Harman in the Venetian Gothic style. Both of these old buildings were later taken down after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Moving to Gloucester Street
In 1968, the CSA moved to a bigger building at 66 Gloucester Street. This new gallery was built especially for art. It is a key example of the 'Christchurch Style' of modernist buildings. These were designed by new architects in Canterbury after World War II. The building won two awards from the New Zealand Institute of Architects.
After this move, the gallery became very popular. It was known for showing some of the most exciting art in New Zealand's history. The CSA helped start the careers of many local New Zealand artists. These included Neil Dawson, Bruce Edgar, Ross Marwick, and Boyd Webb. Their first art shows were held there in June 1971. In 1996, the CSA gallery changed its name. It became CoCA Centre of Contemporary Art, which is what it is called today.
Earthquakes and Repairs
Like many important buildings in Christchurch, the CoCA gallery was damaged. This happened during the earthquakes in February 2011. In 2013, a group of volunteers and experts helped. They carefully took out all the artworks stuck inside the building. This included art on display and the gallery's own collection. About four million New Zealand dollars was spent to fix and strengthen the building.
What's Next for CoCA
CoCA opened its doors again on February 13, 2016. The gallery space on Gloucester Street was fully repaired and updated. However, the gallery had to close again for a short time. This was because of another earthquake that hit Christchurch the day after it reopened in 2016.
