Welcome to Aucklands Creative Quarter
We are the first suburb of Auckland
Our history is rich with landmarks and stories. They provide us with identity, assurance and belonging. A true community created by a tapestry of connections through families, schools, clubs and businesses.
These are all attributes that make us unique, a one-off. They mark us as being fundamentally different to any other place, anywhere.
And every so often our heritage looks us in the eye and asks, ‘Where are you taking me?' Our history is enriched with eras that have answered the call. Think of the 1970s.
So where to from here? Auckland is changing dramatically and there is a need for local communities to declare who they are and determine their own destiny.
Let's take stock of what we've got
We are almost perfectly formed. Compact, yet with a sense of space, natural boundaries and iconic buildings. Back streets full of twists and turns; hidden parks casually revealed; solitary walks along the coast. And the Domain, adjacent and enjoying our guardianship.
Shopping, but not as others know it. An eclectic and entertaining mix of retail, food and ‘limited editions'. Antiques and kebabs; shoes and the TAB; jewellery and trinkets; lunch bars and Antoine's. Where art galleries rub shoulders with travel shoppes. Where fine wine toasts high fashion.
And let's not overlook how many of our qualities complement each other – the old and the new; the public face and our private side; the main road and the side streets; villas and apartments.
If we look at all of these as our raw materials, we have an abundance of resources to work with.
We are the creative quarter
There are some things we take for granted. They don't so much go unnoticed; we understate them.
Now is the time to highlight our creativity. We need to elevate it, celebrate it, put it up in lights.
And let's not limit ourselves to creativity's conventional meaning. Yes, we have art galleries, designer clothing and speciality shops. There's Bromhead, poking his wit at sacred cows. The musical genius of the Finns. And New Zealand 's foremost man of letters, C K Stead. Beside this lot, the rest of us mere mortals, but we can still be creative.
It's in our ability to be a bit lateral. Using our minds to reason and imagine solutions. Always striving to be original and inventive.
Creativity is also the flair of our restaurateurs; the intellectual acumen of a lawyer;; a business owner developing a new marketing strategy; parents looking for ways to realise the potential of their children.
And our creativity is also represented by the burgeoning number of graphic design, advertising, architectural and interior design agencies located on our city side.
We need to tell ourselves and the world about our creativity. Let it seduce us and invigorate our ambition.
Creativity is the extroverted side of our nature that gives us energy, colour and style.
Creativity helps to define what Parnell is and will enable us to determine our destiny.