Auahatanga - Creative Spaces
Where everyone can learn, make and design.
Our creative and learning spaces welcome everyone. It does not matter if you have just got started, or are reigniting a creative passion. We have some amazing technology available around our Christchurch City Libraries. Find out more about each piece of gear, where you can find it, and how you can use it to help exercise your creativity!
The purpose of our service is to support prototyping and printing small quantities, as we are a non-commercial organisation.
Update
Note: Aranui and Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre's Direct to Garment printers are currently unavailable.
How to access our Auahatanga - Creative Spaces
Creative Times - Drop In
Creative Times, opens a new window Drop-in Sessions
Drop in and explore our creative equipment, technology, and resources at your own pace—no booking required. These self-directed sessions are available across multiple locations and are ideal for independent use of most software and equipment.
Please note: Staff assistance may be limited during these sessions. The laser cutter can only be used under the supervision of a specialist.
Creative Bites, opens a new window New Brighton Library
Each Friday during Term Time, we feature a different piece of equipment from our creative spaces—offering inspiration and showcasing the possibilities of modern technology.
1:1 Sessions - Booked or Request
Book a Creative Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, opens a new window and Tūranga, opens a new window
Book a 1:1 session for focused, hands-on support with a specific piece of creative equipment or software. Whether you're looking to upskill or bring a project to life, we’re here to help you make the most of our technology and resources.
Book a Creative (Request) New Brighton
Book a 1:1 session for focused, hands-on support with a specific piece of creative equipment. Please note the equipment available at these locations is limited, see the form for full details.
Book a Creative – Files to Fabrication – Matatiki Hornby Centre, opens a new window
Book a 1:1 session with our staff who will help you process your files using cutting-edge technology — laser cutter, vinyl printer/cutter, t-shirt printer, 3D printer, and more. It’s time to transform your digital masterpiece into a finished product!
Book a Creative – Design Session Matatiki Hornby Centre, opens a new window and New Brighton Library, opens a new window
Unlock Your Creative Potential with Design Software. Learn how to use design software to bring your ideas to life. Whether you're just starting out or looking to sharpen your digital skills, our 1:1 session with our staff provide personalised guidance on using the software and creating files ready for use with our equipment.
Group Sessions, opens a new window Book a Group Creative (2-12 participants)
Perfect for friends, colleagues, or community groups looking for a fun and hands-on creative experience. Choose from a range of set project options or bring your own idea.
Please note: School and homeschool groups are not eligible for these sessions. We offer dedicated programming for schools, opens a new window
Events and Programmes
What equipment is available?
Laser cutting
A laser cutter provides a fast and accurate way of cutting a variety of materials, such as paper, card, acrylic, wood, laminate and fabric.
Once existing stock is depleted we will no longer be cutting MDF on our laser cutters. MDF contains synthetic formaldehyde. Laser cutting this material produces toxic dust and fumes which are harmful to people and the health of the machine. Supplying your own materials? For a list of approved materials for laser cutting please ask a member of our creative team.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre, and Tūranga
Vinyl printing and cutting
The vinyl printer and cutter is a large format inkjet printer that can be used to print graphics and types of vinyl media.
Available at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, Matatiki Hornby Centre, and Tūranga
3D printing
You can design and print 3D designs at Christchurch City Libraries. We have several 3D printers that can be used to make small objects out of plastic.
Available at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, Matatiki Hornby Centre, New Brighton, Shirley, and Tūranga
Badge maker
A badge maker allows you to make custom wearable button badges. The badge design can be hand-drawn or designed on a computer using software such as Inkscape, Affinity Designer, or Adobe Illustrator.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre, New Brighton, Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, and Tūranga
Sewing machines and overlockers
Construct your own projects from fabric using our sewing machines and overlockers.
Available at Fendalton, Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, Matatiki Hornby Centre, New Brighton, and Tūranga
Embroidery machines
Construct your own projects from fabric and embellish with stitched designs using the embroidery machine.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre and Tūranga
Heat press
A heat press is a large type commercial iron. It has controls for pre-set temperature, time and pressure, making it ideal for the application of heat transfer vinyl to fabric, garments (such as T-shirts) and other media.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre, New Brighton, Tūranga and Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre
DTG Direct to garment printing
A DTG or Direct to Garment printer allows a digital image to be printed directly onto fabric. It works similarly to an inkjet printer by using ink in cartridges that are especially designed for fabric. The printer prints directly onto the fabric and then using a finisher, heat is applied to the fabric to set the ink. You can create custom t-shirts, wall hangings, tote bags, and more.
Available at New Brighton
DTF Direct to film printing
The direct to film printer is a large format inkjet printer that prints on film that can be transferred onto different materials.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre
Photo, slide and film scanner
A photo scanner can create high quality digital files from your physical photo, slides films, or other paper documents.
Available at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre and Tūranga
Craft cutter
A Cameo 4 cutter contains a very sharp blade that is controlled by a computer. The blade can move precisely to cut shapes out of materials such as paper, card, adhesive vinyl, heat transfer vinyl, sticker paper, or sublimation paper / invisible ink paper.
Available at Matatiki Hornby Centre, New Brighton, Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, and Tūranga
AV studio and cosplay resources
Taupuni Oro/Ataata – Audio/Video Studio: Tūranga
Cosplay and creative costuming
Ngā Kōrero Auaha - Creative Stories
Ngā Kōrero Auaha – Creative Stories
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: The King family
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: The Paniora Whānau
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: Anthea - Remix Plastic
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: Philipp - Kea Aerospace
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: The King family
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: The Paniora Whānau
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: Anthea - Remix Plastic
Ngā Kōrero Auaha Creative Stories: Philipp - Kea Aerospace
What have you made at the library?
FAQ
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Christchurch City Libraries have two Graphics Tablets available to use at Tūranga.
Talk to our team members if you’d like to borrow one while you are visiting Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4.
The Graphics Tablet can be borrowed for up to 2 hours for in-library use only.A Graphics Tablet (also known as a pen or drawing tablet) is a device that enables a user to hand-draw images, animations and graphics, with a special pen-like stylus. Our Wacom Intuos Pro Creative Pen tablets can be connected to computers in our Creative Space to use with creative software such as Adobe Photoshop or Affinity Photo.
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Software available in Computer Lab 1, 4.22 Auahatanga | Creativity, Level 4, Tūranga.
Your library membership gives you access to LinkedIn Learning which has tutorials on some of the following software.
In addition to the software available on all public computers the following software is installed on PCs in Computer Lab 1:
Animation, Effects and 3D Modelling
- Adobe Animate 2D Animation.
- Adobe Character Animator 2D animation with camera based motion capture and audio. Capable of live animation of characters.
- Adobe After Effects (including Cinema 4D Lite) Layer-based digital effects, compositing and motion graphics.
- Blender 3D modelling, animation and compositing.
- Da Vinci Resolve Fusion (packaged with DaVinci Resolve) Node-based digital effects, compositing and motion graphics.
- FreeCAD Parametric 3D modeller.
Audio Recording and Editing
- Adobe Audition
- Audacity
- Vital Digital synthesizer.
Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design
- Adobe Illustrator Illustration and vector graphics.
- Adobe InDesign Desktop publishing.
- Adobe Lightroom Classic Photo organizer and editor.
- Adobe Photoshop Image composition and editing.
- Affinity Designer
- Affinity Photo
- Affinity Publisher
- Krita Digital painting.
- Wacom Tablet and Inkspace App – for use with the borrowable Wacom Intuos Pro creative pen tablets
Video Editing
- Adobe Premiere Pro Video editing.
- DaVinci Resolve (the studio version is available in the AV Studio)
Games
- Kerbal Space Program: Physics-based aerospace simulator and planetary exploration sandbox, including craft construction and robotic parts.
- Simple Planes: Plane building and flying with procedural parts.
- Simple Rockets 2: Rocket building and launching with procedural parts.
- Universe Sandbox: Physics-based space simulator
Other
- Handbrake Audio and video file conversion.
- OBS Studio Screen capture software.
- Musescore – free music composition and notation software
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Software available on the computers (Macs Studios) in the Audio/Video Studio at Tūranga, Auahatanga - Creative Space at Te Hāpua: Halswell Centre, and Auahatanga - Creative Space at Matatiki Hornby Centre.
Your library membership gives you access to LinkedIn Learning which has tutorials on some of the following software.
Animation, effects and 3D modelling
- Adobe Animate 2D Animation
- Adobe Character Animator 2D animation with camera based motion capture and audio. Capable of live animation of characters.
- Adobe After Effects (including Cinema 4D Lite) Layer-based digital effects, compositing and motion graphics.
- Blender 3D modelling, animation and compositing.
- Da Vinci Resolve Fusion (packaged with DaVinci Resolve) Node-based digital effects, compositing and motion graphics.
Audio Recording and Editing
- Ableton Live 11 Suite
- Adobe Audition
- Audacity
- GarageBand
- Logic Pro X
- Vital Digital synthesizer. Audio Plugins: Vital (also works as standalone application); Native Instruments
Desktop Publishing and Graphic Design
- Adobe Illustrator Illustration and vector graphics
- Adobe InDesign Desktop publishing
- Adobe Lightroom Classic Photo organizer and editor
- Adobe Photoshop Image composition and editing
- Krita Digital painting
Video Editing
- Adobe Premiere Pro Video editing.
- DaVinci Resolve Studio
- Final Cut Pro X Video editing.
- iMovie Basic video editing.
Other
- OBS Studio Screen capture software.
- Handbrake Audio and video file conversion.
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Public use library computers have the following software installed:
Windows
- Windows Accessibility tools including Magnifier: Microsoft screen magnifying software, and Narrator: Microsoft light-duty screen reader utility.
- Pharos Account Balance: View the balance on Pharos account, required for printing & copying.
- Māori keyboard and dictionary
- Multiple keyboard languages supported
Web Browsers
- Microsoft Edge: Web browser
- Firefox: Web browser
- Google Chrome: Web browser
Office
- Microsoft Office: Suite of programmes including word processor, slideshow, spreadsheet and more. (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote).
From September 2025 library computers will not have Microsoft Publisher installed. Microsoft is discontinuing this application. See Scribus instead.
- Scribus: Desktop publishing application that can import Microsoft Publisher files.
Other programs include
- Audacity: Audio editing software.
- Inkscape: Drawing programme
- iTunes: Music library software.
- Media Player: for audio and video files
- Microsoft Clipchamp: free video editing tool, requires a personal Microsoft account login
- Notepad++: Text tool
- Paint.net: Drawing programme
- PDF-Xchange: Open, read, create & edit PDF files
- VLC: Multi-format video player.
Learning Centre computers
The following software applications are used during Learning Centre programmes (i.e. available during organised classes and creative drop-in sessions).
- Affinity Designer: vector graphics editor Adobe Illustrator alternative
- Affinity Photo: raster graphics editor Adobe Photoshop alternative
- Affinity Publisher: desktop publishing application Adobe InDesign alternative
- Arduino IDE: coding for Arduino boards
- Blender: 3D computer graphics
- Krita – digital painting
- League of Legends – eSports
- Minecraft Education Edition
- OBS Studio: Desktop video recording and live streaming software
- PrusaSlicer: 3D printing design
- Silhouette: crafting tool
- Vital: Create your own custom sounds with Vital, a digital synthesizer.
See also: