Setting the scene
Ōtautahi Christchurch knows how to set the stage. As the events season gathers pace, Avenues steps inside some of the city’s most inspiring venues – spaces made for everything from big-picture conferences to intimate, creative gatherings. Whatever the occasion, these pages showcase settings that promise to elevate every event.
ARTS CENTRE
At Te Matatiki Toi Ora The Arts Centre, every space comes with character, heritage, and a story to tell. From grand celebrations to intimate gatherings, corporate or personal, these venues offer the perfect backdrop for memorable occasions. When you hire a venue at The Arts Centre, you’re not just getting style and sophistication – you’re supporting one of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most treasured community centres, as proceeds go towards conserving its historic buildings. The flagship space is the beautiful Great Hall – UNESCO award-winning, with modern AV, iconic stained-glass window, and renowned acoustics. Adjacent is the North Quad, an impressive outdoor space framed by stunning heritage architecture – perfect for both weddings and outdoor events and performances. For creatives, there is the Maker Workshop – a hands-on, community-oriented space designed for art classes, rehearsals, and creative workshops – and Cloisters Studio, an intimate and versatile venue, excellent for performance, comedy, or talks. If you’re looking to get out of the office, bring your team or corporate event to one of the unique boardrooms, common rooms, or Victorian lecture theatre. You’ll feel like you’re worlds away in a selection of spaces ideal for smaller meetings, presentations, and networking sessions. A unique and iconic event experience awaits.
MANU
As the days grow longer and blossoms return, spring in Christchurch invites us to come together – sharing food, laughter, and moments that last. From Cup Week festivities to Christmas parties and corporate dinners, Manu offers the perfect stage, where every detail is thoughtfully curated so your event becomes a story worth remembering. Whether it’s an intimate gathering or a grand celebration, Manu is more than a venue – it’s the heart of your most cherished occasions. This season, step into a space where exceptional cuisine, impeccable service, and unforgettable experiences come to life.
MT VERNON LODGE
Perched on the hills overlooking Akaroa Harbour, Mt Vernon Lodge is well known as a wedding destination, but its versatile spaces also make it an excellent choice for conferences, corporate gatherings, retreats, and more. The property features a large function centre that can comfortably seat up to 100 for conferences, complete with full facilities including a projector, sound system, and flexible layouts. It’s equally well suited to smaller groups of 20–30, which Mt Vernon frequently hosts for business conferences and workshops. Guests can choose full catering through the lodge or a self-catering option, or mix the two. It’s not uncommon for groups to organise their own morning or afternoon teas, while leaving lunches or dinners to the Mt Vernon team. Accommodation is also on offer, making it ideal for multi-day events, and was recently awarded a Qualmark Silver Award. Options range from chalets and cottages to the main lodge, which also features a spacious deck and large macrocarpa table for smaller conferences or breakout discussions. Surrounded by birdsong and breathtaking views, the lodge has hosted everything from yoga retreats to ice bath workshops, with ample breakout areas for meditation, team-building, or simply unwinding. With Akaroa township just minutes away, guests can easily combine their event with trips down to the seaside town.
CHRISTCHURCH TRAM
Looking for a function where the scenery never stays the same? Step aboard Christchurch’s heritage trams and let the city become the backdrop to your next celebration. Whether you’re out to impress valued clients or reward your hardworking team, a private tram function delivers a truly unique experience – one where every turn offers a fresh perspective of Ōtautahi. There is a 25 per cent discount on tram hire for bookings made between 15 October and 15 December 2025, so get in quick. And as an added incentive, every booking made between 15 October and 15 December goes into the draw to win dinner for four at the renowned Tramway Restaurant (valued at $636). With the tram gliding past the city’s iconic landmarks, conversations flow easily, the setting feels dynamic, and your event becomes one that people will talk about long after the ride is over. The Tramway Restaurant combines curated seasonal dining with a moving sightseeing tour through central Christchurch. As New Zealand’s only dining tramcar, it offers a carefully crafted menu showcasing premium local cuisine and beverages, complemented by attentive service from professional wait staff – all while the ever-changing cityscape glides past your window. Bookings are valid for functions held between 22 October 2025 and 31 March 2026, with a minimum of 24 guests. To reserve your moving venue and go in the draw to win, email claudia@christchurchattractions.nz and quote Setting the Scene.
THE MONDAY ROOM
Established in 2016, The Monday Room is a Christchurch institution, renowned for its sophisticated ambience, culinary excellence, and warm hospitality. This celebrated venue has become synonymous with life’s most treasured moments, where exceptional dining experiences create lasting memories that endure well beyond the final course. Central to the restaurant’s renowned offering are its thoughtfully designed private dining spaces. The Monday Room presents a curated selection of private and semi-private venues, each crafted to accommodate everything from intimate soirées to significant milestone celebrations. Little Monday offers a refined 22-seat environment where heritage red brick meets vintage Axminster carpeting, complemented by audiovisual capabilities for seamless entertaining. The Duncan’s Room accommodates up to 40 distinguished guests within its impressive double-height space, featuring carefully curated décor and housing the restaurant’s prestigious wine library – an ideal setting for grand celebrations and corporate gatherings. For more intimate occasions, The Mezzanine Room provides an exclusive setting for 12–14 guests, offering elevated views across the main dining room and vistas of the beautifully restored High Street precinct. Under the guidance of chef-owner Hannah Cooper-Grieve, The Monday Room’s cuisine represents refined contemporary New Zealand dining. Her seasonally-inspired menus showcase an unwavering commitment to Canterbury’s finest producers, creating dishes that are both sophisticated and authentically connected to their terroir. The dining experience centres around expertly curated shared banquets, presented in the style of a traditional family dinner. The culinary experience is elevated by a prodigious wine library, showcasing the best New Zealand producers alongside notable international wineries. This is coupled with an innovative cocktail collection. The ‘High Society’ cocktail menu pays homage to High Street’s rich cultural heritage, celebrating the neighbourhood’s vibrant characters and storied past through artfully crafted libations, based on the past and present denizens of the street. All private dining spaces are available for reservation at reservations@themondayroom.nz.
MAJESTIC ON DURHAM
Majestic on Durham is a vibrant, versatile events hub in the heart of Christchurch. Combining striking new builds with beautifully renovated warehouse spaces, it’s also home to Majestic Church. When the new space was built, previous Senior Minister Leo Hansen wanted it to be more than just a Sunday venue. The vision was to create a place the wider community could use – a way to give back to the city and support its rebuild. The venue is designed to host an array of events: conferences, meetings, performances, productions, and fundraising events. With five distinct spaces, flexibility is at the core of Majestic on Durham. The auditorium is a fully equipped, comfortable space with seating for up to 500 people (700 standing) or 250–300 for dinners, making it ideal for large-scale events. The light-filled foyer is a modern space that connects to an outdoor decking area. The Blue Room can host meetings or workshops, with two TV screens and the option to divide into smaller spaces. Mace Space combines creativity and energy with a kitchenette and a full indoor sports area, complete with a basketball hoop, while 25, a renovated warehouse, caters to up to 240 guests. All spaces can be used separately or in conjunction with each other to be used as breakout spaces. With built-in AV equipment and on-site support, it’s perfectly set up for any type of event.
VENUE 105 BY CRISP & VALE
Before Crisp & Vale existed, Hannah Crisp was immersed in the world of fine food. She trained at the Cordon Bleu Tante Marie school of cookery in London, honed her craft at Rick Stein’s flagship Seafood Restaurant, and gained Michelin-star experience that sharpened her eye for detail and flavour. When she moved to New Zealand 15 years ago, Queenstown became the birthplace of Crisp & Vale – a catering company defined by bold flavour, playful presentation, and a love of New Zealand’s best produce. Crisp & Vale became known for bringing imagination and style to every event, from intimate dinners to high-profile celebrations. Now based in Christchurch, the journey continues with Venue 105. This renovated industrial space, with soaring ceilings, polished finishes, and an abundance of natural light, reflects the same ethos that shaped the business from the start: creating space where food, people, and setting come together to create memorable moments. Already, the venue has hosted product launches, milestone birthdays, tastings, and exclusive corporate dining. From live music to stylists, Hannah and her team have curated a circle of trusted vendors to help bring any vision to life. The bespoke bar is licensed, and the venue can accommodate 100 guests standing or 60 seated. They are now taking bookings for spring/summer. Venue 105 is at 105 Orbell Street, Sydenham, and open Monday–Friday, 8am–5pm.
CHRISTCHURCH ART GALLERY
Te Puna o Waiwhetū Christchurch Art Gallery isn’t just a cultural landmark – it’s one of the city’s most iconic and inspiring venues. Behind its striking glass façade lies a collection of flexible, light-filled spaces that can transform to host almost any occasion. Over the years, the Gallery has welcomed everything from corporate events, cocktail parties, and Christmas functions to fashion shows, product launches, weddings, and intimate civil services. Much of the magic comes from the building itself. Its shimmering glass panels make it impossible to miss, and with the ability to be illuminated in practically any colour, the Gallery can reflect your brand, your theme – or even complement your wedding dress. Inside, the spaces are equally impressive. The iconic Gallery Foyer, perfect for 300–500 guests, offers grandeur and flexibility. The Philip Carter Family Auditorium treats up to 178 people to cinema-quality sound and vision, while private exhibition viewings can be arranged to spark conversation and create unforgettable memories. Of course, the success of any event relies on more than the setting. That’s where the Gallery’s expert events team comes in. If you need a DJ to get guests boogying or a PA system for wedding speeches, they’ve got you covered with AV and lighting specialists on hand; they’ll connect you with suppliers who know the building inside out and ensure everything runs seamlessly. If catering is also on the cards, they’ll be able to help with preferred suppliers, and even food trucks can be set up in the courtyard outside. And with competitive pricing right in the heart of the city – think $3500 for the spectacular Gallery Foyer – it’s important to get in early to help secure the event space. Its location, straddling Montreal Street, Worcester Boulevard, and Gloucester Street, is also close to several carparking options and public transport routes. If you’re ready to impress your guests, don’t wait too long to secure your date.
The easiest way to start is by emailing venue@christchurchartgallery.org.nz.