The Art of Banksy Brings Global Art and Local Impact to Christchurch

A world-class exhibition with a lasting legacy

When The Art of Banksy opened at Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre in December 2025, it marked the South Island debut of the world's largest collection of authenticated Banksy artworks. Presented in partnership with ChristchurchNZ and GTP Exhibitions, the exhibition featured more than 150 works sourced from private collections worldwide and was the final opportunity for New Zealand audiences to experience this globally renowned collection.

Running from 17 December 2025 to 27 January 2026, the exhibition transformed Te Pae Christchurch from a business events venue into a major summer attraction, drawing locals, domestic visitors, international tourists and cruise passengers alike.

A natural fit for Christchurch

As New Zealand's street art capital, Christchurch provided the ideal backdrop for the exhibition. With more than 45 large-scale murals woven throughout the city, the event connected Banksy's globally recognised work with Christchurch's own creative identity.

ChristchurchNZ said the exhibition aligned strongly with its goal of growing a vibrant year-round events calendar while reinforcing the city's reputation as a leading street art destination. It also helped elevate Christchurch's profile as a creative, contemporary and culturally confident city.

Extending the visitor experience

Te Pae Christchurch developed a range of complementary experiences that encouraged visitors to engage more deeply with Christchurch's street art culture. A Banksy-themed café, hospitality packages and partnership with a local street art walking tour extended the experience beyond the exhibition itself. The venue also showcased work by local street artists, creating a connection between Banksy's global influence and Christchurch's own creative community.

Transforming a convention centre into a cultural destination

Working closely with GTP Exhibitions, Te Pae Christchurch reimagined its flexible event spaces to create a museum-grade exhibition environment. GTP Exhibitions described the project as "one of the most ambitious and technically complex touring exhibitions presented in New Zealand" and praised the venue's exceptional leadership, collaboration and professionalism throughout delivery.

Delivering economic and community impact

The exhibition exceeded expectations, selling more than 38,000 tickets during its six-week season. Independent evaluation found it generated more than $1 million in visitor spending and delivered an estimated net economic benefit of $1.22 million to the region, with benefits flowing across accommodation, hospitality, retail and tourism businesses.

Community outcomes were equally strong. A post-event survey of 1,635 respondents found:

• 91.2% overall satisfaction
• 89% of residents felt the exhibition increased pride in Christchurch
• 92% agreed events like this make Christchurch a more enjoyable place to live
• 42% of visitors said the exhibition improved their perception of the city

Many visitors were also experiencing Te Pae Christchurch for the first time, helping broaden awareness of the venue beyond conferences and conventions.

Partnership at the heart of success

The exhibition's success was driven by a strong partnership between Te Pae Christchurch, ChristchurchNZ and GTP Exhibitions. Together, the partners created an experience that became part of Christchurch's wider summer story.

GTP Exhibitions CEO and Executive Producer Michel Boersma praised Te Pae Christchurch's ability to deliver a museum-grade exhibition environment, highlighting the team's operational excellence, visitor focus and manaaki-led approach. He described Christchurch as one of the standout destinations on the exhibition's global tour and expressed enthusiasm about bringing future blockbuster exhibitions to the city.

A new chapter for Te Pae Christchurch

The Art of Banksy demonstrated how Te Pae Christchurch can successfully host internationally significant cultural experiences alongside its core business events programme. The exhibition generated meaningful economic benefits, strengthened community pride and reinforced Christchurch's position as a vibrant creative city.

Most importantly, it showed how a convention centre can become a cultural platform for its city, bringing together art, tourism, community and economic development to create lasting value long after the exhibition closes.