Cross St Studios played a major role in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland’s creative scene in the early 2000s, hosting over 140 events and exhibitions. Yet, no official record of this artist-run initiative exists. Founded by a group of young artists seeking affordable exhibition space and creative freedom, and located behind Karangahape Road, Cross St Studios quickly became known for its grass-roots, DIY energy. Transforming an unused warehouse space into a gallery/performance area, individual studios and a workshop, the ARI showcased over 345 international and local artists, musicians, and performers—acting as a launching pad for many careers.
Initiated at the end of 2024, and still a work in progress, the digital archive seeks to establish an impactful and enduring publicly accessible record of Cross St Studios’ activity. The project will not only preserve these events as a lasting historical record but also provide valuable resources for other ARIs, promoting knowledge-sharing to enrich Aotearoa’s arts ecosystem.
At a time of rapid political and social change, with the erasure of alternative histories and marginalised narratives a growing concern, this project embraces “archiving as resistance” to ensure the spirit of Cross St Studios—experimentation, collaboration and community—endures.
My contributions
- Conceiving the archive, authoring the successful application for public funding, and securing nearly NZD$10,000 to move the project from concept to delivery.
- Initiating and managing the coordination of all historical content, liaising with former collective members, and conducting the archival research necessary to provide context (July 2024–present).
- Curating and editing images and other media for display, and establishing the final archive structure.
- Overseeing the platform’s user experience (UX) design and technical development to ensure the archive is robust and easily navigable.
- Developing all communications and strategy for the archive, including launch and promotional planning.
Project impact
The project is on track to launch in November/December 2025. Once complete, the archive will deepen Tāmaki Makaurau’s cultural heritage, facilitate knowledge sharing for future ARIs, and importantly, preserve alternative, marginalised narratives within the wider Aotearoa art canon.
Please get in touch if you’d like to contribute material to the archive: cross.collective@gmail.com
