Unleash your inner Picasso at pop-up arts festival

Budding Picassos will be able to take part in lunchtime sketch clubs during a pop-up arts festival in Christchurch’s city centre next month.

The Winter Wander festival will run from 3 to 11 August and will see vacant spaces in the central city brought to life with temporary art installations and the work of talented local artists showcased in shops and restaurants.

Join the lunchtime sketch clubs in the city centre.

There will also be opportunities for Christchurch residents to flex their own creative muscles through a series of lunchtime sketch clubs.

Live models will pose in the windows of Ballantynes, Scorpio Books, and the airbridge at The Crossing for the sketch club. Free art supplies will be provided so people can make drawings of the models. The lunchtime sketch clubs will take place on 3, 6, 7 and 10 August. You can register for them here.

 “We’re excited to be bringing Winter Wander to the central city this August,’’ says Audrey Baldwin, of Glitterbox Pursuits, who is organising the festival with the support of the Christchurch Central Business Association and Christchurch City Council.

During Winter Wander major installations by local artists will be installed at The Crossing, the Guthrey Centre and The Terraces.

New work by local artists will also be showcased and celebrated in Reverie, a pop-up exhibition at the BNZ Centre, which will be open between 10am and 4pm for the duration of the festival.

“The central city businesses are excited to see the creative community continuing to help revitalise our city,’’ says Central Christchurch Business Association Manager Paul Lonsdale. “The Winter Wander pop-up arts festival will provide fun and colour to the city streets over the winter months.’’