Two years after fire, Keirunga on way to being Havelock North's artistic hub

The committee in the new theatre Warren Elliot (left), Juliet Cottrell, Gillian Receveur, Pam Thomson, Julie Henderson and Richard Moorhead. Photo / Laura Wiltshire

Two and a half years after a fire ravaged the creative hub at Keirunga gardens, work on a new theatre is finally complete.

The theatre is the second stage in redevelopment of Keirunga, the creative hub, with art studios already up and running.

It has been brought to life by committee made of volunteers.

A gallery space, which will also be able to be used by dancers, is the final piece of the puzzle, meaning Keirunga will once again be a space to create and display art in all it's forms.

President of the committee running Keirunga, Juliet Cottrell, said it wanted the theatre to be multi-use, with retractable seating, and the ability to project screens onto any wall in the theatre.

"It can be used for theatre, for film, for seminars, for conferences, music, dance - the possibilities are endless."

She said the committee wanted the community, not just in Havelock North but the wider Hawke's Bay, to access the space, whether they were an emerging artist or a corporate group.

Vice-president Warren Elliot said he wanted to draw people into Keirunga, with people often not realising the art and craft space was there.

"If we cater for interests then obviously we cater for more people."

He said it was about crafting a space for the future of arts.

"Having a space you can modify is a big thing."

"You don't want to be fixed in one location."

Keirunga, the Creative Hub, after it was gutted by fire in 2016. Photo / Supplied

The aim of the space is for it to be utilised by anyone. The current studios and the Homestead building are hired out on an hourly basis, which has worked well for that space, and the committee imagines it will work for the new theatre as well.

The committee is also kicking off a fundraising campaign on April 5 called Please be Seated, where people can by one of the theatre's 50 seats.

There will also be a boosted campaign running at the same time, which is similar to Give a Little but specifically for the arts.

The first performance to be staged in the new theatre will be Romeo and Juliet, performed by the Hawke's Bay Youth Theatre, which will take place in July.

Cottrell said anyone interested in using the space should get in touch. She emphasised the fact that music seems to be missing at the moment.

'We would love a choir to come and make Keirunga their home, we need more music here."