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.
2019: Woolston
Between March and September this year, photography students from the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts will be photographing the Woolston area. The full collection of images will be available to view on our website from mid-November and an exhibition of a selection of the images will be shown from mid-November through December.
2018: Inside the Four Avenues
Inside the Four Avenues, 2018 is the fourth instalment of the Christchurch Documentary Project. Three photographers from the University of Canterbury School of Fine Arts — Thomas Herman, Elise Williams and Summer Robson — photographed the ever-changing landscape of the central city and the people who live and work within its borders.
View the images online, and visit the physical exhibition Inside the Four Avenues, 2018. It is located outside the TSB Space Hapori | Community, Level 1, Tūranga, and takes place from Wednesday 21 November 2018 to Wednesday 23 January 2019.
- Inside the Four Avenues, 2018
- View Inside the Four Avenues, 2018 images, by Elise Williams
- View Inside the Four Avenues, 2018 images, by Summer Robson
- View Inside the Four Avenues, 2018 images, by Thomas Herman
- Inside the Four Avenues 2018 slideshow
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
