Pablos Art Studio moves to accessible space

30 July 2010 A move to new premises in August will make Wellington's Pablos Art Studio and the associated ROAR! gallery more accessible. It also means the studio will be able to expand its programmes and cater for more artists.

Pablos Art Studio provides a supportive and professional art space for more than 110 people who have experience of mental illness. ROAR! is a professional gallery that supports a mix of artists from Pablos and the wider community.

The studio and gallery have moved to ground-floor premises at 189 Vivian Street from the current second-storey home on the corner of Abel Smith and Cuba Streets.

The new space will be formally opened on Thursday 5 August with two exhibitions featuring the work of Pablos artists Athina Moisa and Thomas Davey.

Pablos Art Studio director Gaelen Macdonald is excited about the move and the potential of the new premises.

“The new location is bigger and we’re keen to expand our programmes,” she says. “We’ve got a concrete floor space out the back for sculpture work and we’re hoping to get a kiln so we can offer clay work.

“Being on the ground floor means both the studio and the gallery are accessible for everyone. There are full-length windows so pedestrians can look into the gallery. We’re also on a much busier intersection, so people will hopefully become more aware of who we are, what we do and where to find us.”