Venue & Facility Hire at Ara
Welcome to Ara's Venue & Facility Hire Services.
Ara offers a diverse range of facilities across our Christchurch and Timaru campuses, suitable for meetings, training programmes, conferences, community events, cultural gatherings, sports activities, performances and specialist educational activities.
Whether you require a boardroom for a meeting, a cultural venue for a hui, a sports facility for training, or a specialist teaching environment, we can help identify a suitable space for your event.
All venue and facility hires are subject to Ara's Room Hire Terms and Conditions.
These can be viewed here. Additional facility-specific requirements and conditions may also apply. These will be provided as part of the booking process and incorporated into the Room Hire Order Form where applicable.
Our Facilities
Te Puna Wānaka (Christchurch) & Te Whare Poutama (Timaru)
A unique Māori cultural and community venue
Te Puna Wānaka and Te Whare Poutama provide distinctive spaces for learning, connection and community engagement. These venues are ideal for:
- Hui (meetings and gatherings)
- Wānanga (learning and knowledge-sharing events)
- Conferences
- Workshops
- Community gatherings
- Cultural events
- Special occasions
Use of these facilities is guided by tikanga Māori and venue-specific requirements. First-time hirers may be required to attend an induction, and additional conditions may apply to the use of the Wharenui, Wharekai, kitchen facilities and other cultural spaces.
Professional spaces suitable for:
- Board meetings
- Interviews
- Workshops
- Staff planning days
- Seminars
- Training programmes
Facilities may include:
- Display screens
- Projectors
- Whiteboards
- Video conferencing capability
- Computers
Suitable for:
- Conferences
- Industry events
- Presentations
- Guest speakers
- Exhibitions
- Award ceremonies
Facilities range from lecture theatres through to large event spaces.
Sport & Recreation Facilities
Fitness, recreation, sporting activities and large events
Ara's sport and recreation facilities may be suitable for a wide range of activities, including:
- Sporting events and competitions
- Team training sessions
- Fitness classes
- Dance competitions and performances
- Community recreation programmes
- Wellbeing and wellness events
- Expos, showcases and exhibition-style events
Our gymnasium and recreation facilities can accommodate larger gatherings and event-based activities, making them suitable for events such as dance competitions, sporting tournaments, cultural performances and community showcases.
Facility-specific conditions apply.
Suitable for:
- Productions
- Rehearsals
- Filming projects
- Media activities
- Technical training
Facilities may include:
- Theatres
- Studios
- Rehearsal spaces
Special conditions apply regarding technical systems.
Selected specialist facilities may be available for approved external use.
These may include:
- Production kitchens
- Laboratories
- Specialist trades facilities
- Hair, beauty and massage facilities
- Clinical teaching environments
- Wind tunnel
Additional approvals, inductions, safety plans and supervision requirements may apply depending on the nature of the activity and facility requested.
Important Information
Before submitting an enquiry, please note:
- Room hire creates a licence to occupy only and does not provide exclusive possession of Ara facilities.
- Parking is only included where specifically approved.
- Additional charges may apply for cleaning, security, after-hours access, linen, equipment or fire alarm activations.
- Cancellation fees may apply depending on the notice provided.
- Ara facilities remain subject to teaching, learning and operational priorities.