We went with Lou to the Arts Market held every weekend in central Christchurch. It is in the old buildings of Christchurch University, which are very 19th century gothic and Scottish, with quadrangles and pointed windows. The courtyard on the main street is a mass of stalls offering food and craft type goods, and buskers. (It's the World Busking Festival in Christchurch next week but sadly we're going to miss it.)
Inside the buildings is a warren of shops and studios. The bit of kit in the picture is a jump-ring maker which Pip was shown by a silversmith in a small co-operatively run studio and gallery. It was really exciting to meet and talk with them.
It is amazing to see this many creative professionals working across a wide range of mediums in both traditional (Maori and Pakeha) and contemporary ways. More astonishing is the size of the market. Obviously there were a lot of tourists, but this weekend market is one of the biggest we've ever seen, probably with as much retail space as London's Camden Lock. These artists are not surviving on tourists alone; clearly Kiwis are avid buyers as well.