Kaikoura’s Mayfair Theatre to benefit from Southern Trust funding

Kaikoura’s historic Mayfair Theatre is a step closer to its rebuild funding total thanks to a recent $300,000 grant from The Southern Trust.

The Trust, which distributed $12,824,724 to more than 1,500 community groups across New Zealand last year, provided funds ranging from a few hundred dollars for the purchase of a hand-held microphone for a Rotary Club, to $80,000 towards the installation of a particle separator on a Philips Search and Rescue Trust helicopter and $300,000 for the redevelopment of the Mayfair Theatre.

Commenting on the funding to support the Theatre, The Southern Trust Chief Executive and Trustee Karen Shea, stated “the redevelopment was identified by the community as a priority post-earthquake and we were able to provide funding in tandem with the support for other groups.”

Kaikoura Community Theatre Incorporated Board President, John Wyatt welcomed The Southern Trust’s $300,000 contribution, saying it brought the total of committed funds to $1.25 million. The amount required for the complete project is $3.6 million.

Wyatt says the Board is continuing to look for opportunities to fund the project and they are confident that they will be able to announce more funds in the early part of this year.

Kaikoura’s Mayfair Theatre opened its doors on 21st December 1934.

Supporting the community as a venue for live theatre and movies for more than 80 years, the 7.8 magnitude earthquake which struck Kaikoura on 14th November 2016, damaged the theatre beyond repair closing its doors for the foreseeable future.

Since then the Kaikoura Community Theatre Incorporated Board has been working hard behind the scenes, planning the construction of a new theatre on the same site. Thankfully the building’s iconic facade is unscathed and has been preserved. Building on a new, modern theatre to sit behind the façade is due to start in May 2019 and the fitout is scheduled for the following year.

Wyatt says the Board are confident they will have the project completed in late 2020 in time to mark 50 years of community ownership of the Art Deco theatre.

In 2018, the Mayfair Theatre was one of 29 groups in the Kaikoura region which received more than $500,000 in community funding from The Southern Trust last year.

Commenting on the Trusts national distribution of funds, Shea advised that 60% of grants supported community, education, health and arts initiatives while the remaining 40% supported sports groups.

The Southern Trust was established in January 1998 and is licensed by the New Zealand Department of Internal Affairs under the Gambling Act 2003 to return gaming machine proceeds to the community.

In the 12 months to 31st December 2018 the Trust distributed $12,824,742 to community groups throughout New Zealand.