The Christchurch Documentary Project

The Christchurch Documentary Project is a collaboration between Christchurch City Libraries and the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts to create a documentary photographic record of communities across our city. Each year, photography students from the School of Fine Arts photograph the people and physical and social environment of a community, building an archive of contemporary images for generations to come.

For this project we’ll be making new photographs, but if you have old photographs or memories to share about Christchurch, please visit Kete Christchurch or speak to your local librarian.

2018: Inside the Four Avenues

This year between March and September, Summer Robson, Thomas Herman and Elise Williams from the School of Fine Arts will be creating a documentary record of life in the central city area of Christchurch.

2017: Bishopdale

In 2017, Janneth Gil, Liam Lyons, Elise Williams, Lucas Perelini and Thomas Herman from the School of Fine Arts photographed Bishopdale.

• Bishopdale 2017
• View Bishopdale, 2017 images by Janneth Gil
• View Bishopdale, 2017 images by Thomas Herman
• View Bishopdale, 2017 images by Liam Lyons
• View Bishopdale, 2017 images by Lucas Perelini
• View Bishopdale, 2017 images by Elise Williams
• Bishopdale 2017 slideshow

2016: Edge of the East

Documenting the seaside communities from Waimairi Beach to Southshore.

In 2016 Janneth Gil, Tegan Hollis-Ristow, and Rachel Pugh from the School of Fine Arts photographed the Edge of the East - Christchurch seaside communities from Waimairi Beach to Southshore.

• Read more about the Edge of the East.
• Read: New Brighton: ‘No one is anonymous’ Ashleigh Monk, star.kiwi, 13 February 2017.

• View Edge of the East, 2016 images by Janneth Gil
• View Edge of the East, 2016 images by Tegan Hollis-Ristow
• View Edge of the East, 2016 images by Rachel Pugh
• The Edge of the East slideshow

2015: The Halswell Project

Documenting the wider Halswell area.

Ellenor Waters, Nicholas Glen and Mitchell Bright from the School of Fine Arts created a unique photographic collection The Halswell Project that reflects the diversity of the wider Halswell area in 2015.

• View Halswell Project, 2015 images by Ellenor Waters
• View Halswell Project, 2015 images by Nicholas Glen
• View Halswell Project, 2015 images by Mitchell Bright
• The Halswell Project slideshow

Our city

Our people

Our place