National Music Centre taking shape beneath Wellington Town Hall
Work on the Wellington Town Hall's $329 million redevelopment continues, with the new National Music Centre under construction in the building's basement.
Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage Paul Goldsmith announced an additional $2 million funding injection for the National Music Centre in the Budget last month and toured the site alongside media on Tuesday.
"We're very delighted that the works, obviously as you can see, are underway," said Goldsmith.
"There's been real pressure around the overall funding, so this extra two million dollars will help get this project over the line."
Once completed, the centre would house recording studios, rehearsal spaces, a video production suite, and high-end audio facilities.
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The Town Hall had been closed since being deemed earthquake prone in 2013.
Construction underway at Wellington Town Hall. (Source: 1News)
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra chief executive Marc Feldman called the development of the National Music Centre a game-changer.
"I'm smiling, just imagining what the opening of this place is going to be in 18 months. I would even say that on an international level, this really puts us on the map."
The NZSO has already attracted high-profile film projects, including The Lord of the Rings and Minecraft.
Orchestra lead Carmel Walsh said the new centre would support more international productions and expand revenue streams.
A concept of the Fale Malae on Wellington's waterfront. (Source: Supplied)
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However, the advancement of the Music Centre came at a cost to other cultural projects.
One of the hardest hit was the Fale Malae, a proposed pan-Pacific cultural and community centre on the Wellington waterfront.
Originally allocated $6.6 million, the Fale Malae project has had most of its funding re-prioritised after spending only $2.7 million from its 2020 budget.
"They just weren't ready yet to actually spend the money," Goldsmith said.
"When the business case and consents are ready, then we can revisit the funding of the whare."
Fale Malae Trust chairperson Adrian Orr said trustees were actively exploring various funding sources, including donors willing to support the project.
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