Some history of Interspace

Contact:
10 Brougham Street
Westport 7825
allofus@arthotel.co.nz
Tel : 03 789 8203



Interspace (2003)
In February 2003, Arts Access Aotearoa held a conference on Creative Spaces, which showcased many such spaces already active in New Zealand. Four artists from Westport were at that conference and were inspired to open such a space in their own community.

Four months later a symposium was held in Westport and was supported by representatives from several other spaces as well as The Learning Connexion art school. Every household in the greater Buller received an invitation to this two day event and the attendance was exceptional for a local event.

In September, premises were leased in the form of a disused warehouse and outside yard. InterSpace was born and work began to give it a permanent home. With the help of interested artists and members of the community, repairs were made and studio spaces were created. (read more)


Interspace (2014)
A few months back we had the chance to lease this old hotel and created the concept of Art and Accommodation under one Roof. It has nice big spaces and interesting use value and is a great resource to play around with, literally and figuratively. So there is the accommodation side which is the backbone or ground for all the other projects, the other side, of ideas and possibilities, things to try out, community, friends and an friendly space for individual expression: a creative space.

It has felt important to have a matrix of possibilities, something flexible enough to allow for the unexpected, a capacity to navigate through an unknown future, an outlook which can still have meaning when everything changes.

These are some of the principles which inform the design of the Art Hotel.
In between times we have formed, reformed and deformed ourselves all over the planet, to find ourselves re-united again here and now in Westport.

Currently Heather and Lewis  live in and run the hotel full time.