Find art, music and magic through the inspired work of artists and creatives that call Akaroa and The Bay’s home.
Akaroa Library/Te Kete Wānanga o Te Ao Marama
The Akaroa Library offers free membership for ratepayers and residents. Visitors welcome. Free wifi, email and internet access. Hours 10.00 - 4.30 Weekdays, 10.00 - 1.00 Saturdays. Akaroa Library is a joint use school and community library and is part of the Christchurch City Libraries network. Visitors in the library are welcome to browse the Christchurch City Libraries online databases. Printing/photocopying/scanning/laminating and book sales are also available. Web page HERE.
Services include:
Toilets off library foyer – wheelchair access
Wheelchair access to library
Parking across the road
Little River Gallery
A Peninsula landmark. Enjoy delicious food and coffee in a peaceful sculpture garden. Fantastic giftshop with quality, unique and original New Zealand art. We have regular exhibitions in our Gallery exhibiting contemporary NZ sculpture, painting and jewellery. Check out our web site for our present and up and coming exhibitions. Live viewing of our art on our web site.
Open Hours
Everyday except Christmas day
9am - 5pm weekdays
9am - 5.30pm weekends
We are open every day.
Akaroa Craft Market
Akaroa Craft Market is on the grounds of the Presbyterian Trinity Church (1886). It is held on weekends and on cruise ship days over the summer months.
Akaroa Craft Market Contact:
Jose Thomson
Phone: 03 3291000
Cell Phone: 027 4302308
bandjthomson@netspeed.net.nz
Historic Buildings Database
The Akaroa Civic Trust has developed a database of all the historic buildings and sites in the Akaroa historic area. If you would like to find the location of the cottage that used to be in your family way back or find the name of the person that build your family bach, the database is a great place to start. The database is fully searchable from the Akaroa Civic Trust website.
Okains Bay Maori & Colonial Museum
Visit the Museum at the heart of historic Okains Bay. Enjoy the relaxed environment as you learn about life on Banks Peninsula in former times. Significant taonga Maori and early European items are among the exciting range of treasures on display in the Museum’s diverse complex of heritage buildings. Gift shop, tea and coffee available. Just 2kms to beautiful Okains Beach. Hours 10am – 5pm daily. Open every day except Christmas Day.
Akaroa Museum
Following a programme of earthquake strengthening and repair, Akaroa Museum has created three new long term exhibitions about the history of Bank Peninsula: Ngā Taenga mai Arrivals, Land & Sea, and Tales of Banks Peninsula. These have been produced in collaboration with Ōnuku rūnanga and Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu.
Current exhibitions
Banks Peninsula Landscapes
This exhibition is a selection of artworks from Akaroa Museum’s collection including oils, watercolours, and one pencil sketch. Some of the works are on display for here for the first time, including a Margaret Stoddart painting, Cottages, Little River (c.1923) donated to the Museum by Jeanette Nolan in 2016.
Facebook Page HERE.
Ngā Taenga mai Arrivals focuses on a period of intense change from the 1830s to the 1850s and explores the simultaneous histories of whaling, the failed French colony, naval occupation, the arrival of Pākehā settlers, and the struggle by Ngāi Tahu to get a fair deal for their land.
Land & Sea is about the human relationship with the natural environment, and how settlers from both Polynesian and European origins made their living from the land and sea around Horomaka Banks Peninsula.
Tales of Banks Peninsula has local identity as its theme. Meet some of the heroes (and villains) that punctuate our history - Frank Worsley, Bully Hayes, Captain Bruce, Jessie Buckland and Pompey the Penguin.
Open:
The Museum is open 7 days a week. 10.30am until 4.30 pm. Entrance is FREE.
Akaroa Art Gallery
The Akaroa Art Gallery comes to life in the warmer months when Akaroa is full of visitors and holiday-makers. The gallery hosts exhibitions featuring the work of artists from Banks Peninsula and beyond, many of whom enjoy national and international recognition. It also provides a wonderful venue for intimate musical events and varied workshops throughout the year.
The historic building where the gallery is located is officially known as The Orion Powerhouse Gallery. The building began life in 1911, housing Akaroa’s hydro-electric power equipment. Several years later it was extended to house a gas engine and workshop both of which remained in use until the mid-1950s when the equipment was sold to the Maruia Springs Hotel.
In 1970, then local resident, Patricia Bosshard, established a gallery and concert venue in the empty building. She organised concerts and a film society. In 1977 an incorporated society took over the running of the Powerhouse as a gallery and concert venue. Financial support for the project was provided by Orion the local power company.
Today, the Akaroa Art Gallery is an iconic and much-loved Akaroa institution with a membership of 150 people from all over Canterbury.
In about 2000 the hydro-electric plant at Maruia Springs became redundant. With help from local volunteers and support from the Akaroa Civic Trust the equipment was then returned to the Orion Powerhouse Gallery where it remains to this day.
For the current event on at the Akaroa Art Gallery visit our website.
2019 Committee:
Bryan Tichborne (President)
Peter Lambert (Treasurer)
Jan Collins (Secretary) (0223 186193) janandclyde@xtra.co.nz
Jeanette Elliott (Meeting Secretary)
Mary Farrell (Minders)
Sarah Ford
Keith Harris
Annette Moore
Pip Mason.
Akaroa Community Arts Council
The Akaroa Community Arts Council is a dynamic group of Peninsula volunteers who promote and encourage creativity in the communities of Akaroa and the Bays.
We aim to enable and provide subsidised opportunities for participation in arts activities across a wide range of disciplines. We do this through workshops, classes, creative events and local art exhibitions.
Please contact us if you would like to be included on our mailing list of upcoming events or join our membership.
"Unlocked In Paradise" - what Peninsula artists have created that reflects life after lockdown.
The Old Post Office Sorting Room in Akaroa.
Open Night Friday 7th August 5.30 to 7.30pm
Then open to view for three weekends -
8/9, 15/16 and 22/23 August 2020
from 10.30am to 3.30pm each day, Free entry.
For More details go to our website
Following the amalgamation of Banks Peninsula District Council with Christchurch City Council the Akaroa Community Arts Council (ACAC) no longer receives the direct grant funding that it had previously distributed to local artistic endeavours.
Was there a future for Community Arts Initiatives?
Well, of course there was !
Instead of acting as a clearing house for Council funds the members of ACAC decided to promote artistic projects themselves and seek funding for individual projects, artists materials etc directly from the Akaroa/Wairewa Community Board, Creative New Zealand and other sources.
Photo Tours
Photo Tours. Just for you! Discover - See - Experience. Upskilling included. Enjoy professional tips and advice for better images! Maja Moritz is an internationally experienced photojournalist. Receive a fun one-on-one tuition while you are indulging in the magnificent scenery and views. A special individual experience, creating the best possible tour for you with as many stops as you like for photo opportunities. We take you through the breathtaking landscape of the Banks Peninsula and also for a look around in Christchurch, if you wish. Delight in an exclusive tour experience in a Land Rover Discovery Sport.
Choose between 4 to 12 hour tours: $90 per hour for up to 4 people.
Special tours for CRUISE SHIP GUESTS on my web site HERE.
'My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed Maja’s photography tour and learnt much from her in a few short hours. Aside from being exceedingly engaging and knowledgeable, Maja’s constructive critiques and willingness to share her own perspectives thru our cameras’ lenses were invaluable. Her enthusiasm, encouragement, and support made this one of the highlights of our trip!' Marie & Scott, San Francisco, USA
‘This tour was the highlight of our trip! Maja is a very gracious and knowledgeable host.' Susan & Gordon, Ontario, Canada
'It was fantastic - absolutely fantastic! Brilliant, phenomenal! ...very knowledgeable! And we had our own exclusive photographer for getting some really good pictures of us as a couple!' Ian & Silvia, England
'Maja exceeded my expectations in taking me to one fabulous photo opportunity to the next during my one day cruise ship stop over in Akaroa. I decided to pass on driving to Christchurch so we could just focus on all the beauty in and around Akaroa. Plus she will give you some good photography tips.' Dain Blair, Los Angeles, USA
Thank you for a wonderful experience! The booking process with Maja was easy and any ongoing communication was excellent. Having emigrated from Germany, Maja is extremely knowledgeable about the history and culture of her new home country. Amazing views with some great chances to take some awesome photos under Maja’s excellent guidance, which is second to none.
We had an amazing day and can’t find enough superlatives to describe how awesome Maja is. You are always a little skeptical when booking a private tour away from the cruise ship in a foreign country but we can not recommend Maja and her photography tour of Akaroa and Christchurch enough.
We had an awesome experience, saw many sites that would not have been possible on a larger group tour and would recommend Maja to anyone who relishes the more private, personal touch to their tour requirements. Her Land Rover Discovery is very nice, clean and well maintained, her driving excellent and we felt safe in her hands for our day in Akaroa & Christchurch.
Georgy & Richard, Los Angeles, USA
Maja is AMAZING! My husband and I spent half a day with Maja on a private photography tour while visiting Akaroa on our cruise ship. She not only took us to the most beautiful private places away from all the crowds, but her photographic expertise and kind instruction allowed us to take excellent photographs. Using both my husband’s more advanced camera and our iPhone 10s, we were able to capture phenomenal images worth framing all the while having a marvelous adventure up and down the hills! Thank you, Maja, for an experience we will never forget.
Kaye Phillips, USA
Church Services in Akaroa
Akaroa has Catholic, Anglican and Presbyterian Churches.
ALL SERVICES AT 9.30 am
St Peter’s Anglican, Rue Balguerie
Trinity Church, corner Rue Lavaud and Rue Brittan
https://www.akaroachurches.co.nz/services/
Every Sunday
Mass at St Patrick’s Catholic Church
29 Rue Lavaud
https://www.akaroacatholicparish.co.nz/mass-times/
We would love you to join us!