Sutton museum opening date set
A museum celebrating the life of renowned artist Bill Sutton will open in his former home and studio in Christchurch’s residential red zone in 2019.
The Christchurch City Council decided last week to accept an offer from the property’s owner, the Crown, to take over ownership once the Government had repaired and restored the home.
The Richmond house, studio and garden was saved from demolition and would be leased to the Sutton Heritage House and Garden Trust, which will manage the property as a house museum and cultural destination.
The Crown will give the property to the council in exchange for a nominal payment of $1.
Sutton painted nearly all his works at the Templar St home, which was designed especially for him by Tom Taylor. Sutton lived there from 1963 until his death in 2000.
Trust co-chair Dame Ann Hercus said the council’s decision on Thursday was the first legal step toward the transfer of land.
‘‘We’re absolutely delighted with the unequivocal support shown by the mayor and all the councillors.’’
The tender for the home’s repair and restoration would be let within the next two weeks and it was hoped the work would be finished by March, Hercus said.
She hoped the museum would be open in April or May.
The house museum and garden would become a major visitor destination for Canterbury and for overseas and national visitors, Hercus said.
The trust also has plans to develop the wider area surrounding the home into a park and introduce an artist in residence programme.
The council requested the Government transfer ownership of the additional properties, mostly along Harvey Terrace, to the council as soon as possible.
City councillor Yani Johanson, who has pushed for the home to be retained since 2012, said it was great to be able to secure the future of such a culturally important property and to know that Sutton’s legacy would live on in Richmond.
After Sutton’s death, former senior curator at the Robert McDougall Art Gallery and Sutton Heritage House and Garden Trust co-chair Neil Roberts bought the house. Roberts intended to leave it to the city for an artists-in-residence scheme, but sold it to the Crown after the residential area was declared a red zone.
The house has been burgled several times since it was red-zoned, with large steel driveway gates, metal spouting and terracotta pots from Italy stolen.