Amplifier

BEATBOX is an innovative central city arts project, a multi-room music rehearsal facility and music community hub. Since the September 2010 earthquakes, many of central Christchurch's upper floor spaces and storage units that musicians used to perfect and hone their craft have been lost.

BEATBOX plans to have 3 different sized air-conditioned band rooms, complete with high quality PA/live sound equipment along with a café, lounge and kitchen. The facility estimates over 100,000 visitors a year and is to be run on a not-for-profit basis to ensure the rooms are affordable and accessible. 97% of Christchurch's music community surveyed support the creation of a rehearsal space (Online Musician's Survey undertaken by CHART, Nov/Dec 2011). The CCC has recognised BEATBOX as one of the key city arts projects along with the Court Theatre, The Loons in Lyttelton, Artbox and Music Centre acknowledging the project in the transitional central city plan and providing an $80,000 startup grant from the Mayoral Fund.

WHAT IS BEATBOX?

BEATBOX is a common sense application of building technology in a seismically uncertain urban environment. Earthquake safe, low rise, energy efficient, low cost, modular rooms which are an evolution of the ARTBOX concept (artboxnz.weebly.com) - a modular public art gallery concept currently being constructed. The BOXed Quarter development provides for the co-location of the two projects along with sympathetic music-related retail stores and affordable office space for creatives. There are several reasons for adopting this building concept to create an indoor acoustically treated environment - modular, scalable, steel framed (strength, safety, longevity), relative low cost, moveable, with indoor/outdoor applications.

BEATBOX Key Aspects

· 3 varied sized self-contained isolated soundproofed rooms with in built PA & AC systems.

· Safe, Low-rise, Portable, Modular, Extended lifecycle, Re-useable, Adaptable to different locations and environments.

· Highly specified yet with an attractive, modern design aesthetic.

· Teaching space for music during the day and a rehearsal space for the music community in the evenings. Youth internships and work experience opportunities.

· Affordable office space for creative's, meetings, workshops, seminars.

· A community hub for music resources and co-located with other music-friendly uses/businesses/offices to enhance collaboration opportunities.

LOCATION

The facility is to be housed within the 'BOXed Quarter' located where the Jetset Lounge aka The Southlander Hotel which stood for many years on the corner of Madras and St Asaph Streets until the 2011 quakes. The site has long had a history with contemporary music in the city and its legacy continues with the Boxed Quarter urban creative village concept. It is a development centered around independent thinking, a combination of art and music producing a precinct that combines office, hospitality and related retail.

This funky, upbeat neighborhood sits adjacent to the CPIT Jazz School, a recording studio, broadcasting school, The Archive, Galaxy Records and other music related areas. Its edgy nature attracts others who want to relax and spend time and in the creative heart of lower High Street.

YOUR SUPPORT

CHART has initial start-up funding and is seeking further financial support for BEATBOX which will become a much needed central 'hub' for the city's artists to regroup, reinvigorate, revitalise and most importantly help reStart the voice of the city with the heart, soul and passion that Cantabrians are so well known for.

BEATBOX would like to acknowledge the funders and supporters to date:

Vodafone Foundation Canterbury Fund
Christchurch Earthquake Mayoral Relief Fund
Step Up 4 Christchurch
REAL NZ Festival
NZ Music Commission

Todd Foundation

Flying Nun Records
The Lion Foundation

as well as everyone who have bought the Love Christchurch CD