Baycourt Community and Arts Centre

{{Short description|Performing arts venue in Tauranga, New Zealand}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}

{{Use New Zealand English|date=May 2023}}

{{Infobox building

| name = Baycourt Community and Arts Centre

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| former_names =

| building_type = Performing arts and theatre venue

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| location = 38 Durham Street, Tauranga, New Zealand

| owner =

| current_tenants =

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| coordinates = {{coord|-37.68298|176.16746|display=inline,title}}

| start_date = October 1981

| completion_date =

| opened_date = 26 April 1983

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| main_contractor =

| architect = Warren and Mahoney

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| website = {{URL|www.baycourt.co.nz}}

| embedded =

}}

Baycourt Community and Arts Centre is a multi-purpose performing arts and theatre facility in Tauranga, New Zealand.{{Cite web |title=SunLive - Collecting many memories of Baycourt - The Bay's News First |url=https://sunlive.co.nz/news/308301-collecting-many-memories-of-baycourt.html |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=sunlive.co.nz |language=en |archive-date=26 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230526052439/https://sunlive.co.nz/news/308301-collecting-many-memories-of-baycourt.html |url-status=live }} It was designed by Warren and Mahoney,{{cite web |url=https://architecturenow.co.nz/articles/itinerary-tauranga-city-guide/|title=Itinerary: Tauranga city guide|last1=Barrie |first1=Andrew |last2=Gatley |first2=Julia |date=8 Jul 2021 |website=architecturenow.co.nz |access-date=16 June 2023}} and has a main auditorium, the Addison Theatre, that seats 589.{{cite news|id={{ProQuest|1699525184}}|title=Baycourt celebrated|date=30 July 2015|work=Bay of Plenty Times}}{{cite news|id={{ProQuest|431691459}}|title=Baycourt facing up to tough future: Flagship city theatre likely to face stiff competition from new venues|date=5 March 2007|work=Bay of Plenty Times}} The Addison Theatre is named after Bob Addison, chairman of a group of local residents who formed the Tauranga Community Arts Council and developed the original proposal for a community and arts centre in 1974. It took nine years of fundraising and planning before the centre was built and officially opened in 1983.{{Cite web |title=SunLive - 40 year of Baycourt to be celebrated in April - The Bay's News First |url=https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/314325-40-year-of-baycourt-to-be-celebrated-april.html |access-date=2023-05-26 |website=www.sunlive.co.nz |language=en |archive-date=30 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230530061854/https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/314325-40-year-of-baycourt-to-be-celebrated-april.html |url-status=live }}

Warren and Mahoney won an award for their design, from the Waikato Bay of Plenty branch of the New Zealand Institute of Architects.{{Cite web |date=April 2008 |title=Central Tauranga Heritage Study |url=https://docplayer.net/100470133-C-e-n-t-r-a-l-t-a-u-r-a-n-g-a-h-e-r-i-t-a-g-e-s-t-u-d-y-p-a-r-t-o-n-e.html |access-date=16 June 2023 |publisher=Tauranga City Council and Environment Bay of Plenty |via=Docplayer.net}}

One of the unusual features of Baycourt is its Wurlizter organ. The instrument is a 1926 Mighty Wurli (2/10 Wurlitzer Model H Opus 1482). It was originally installed in a theatre in Wellington, then moved to a shed in Tokoroa, and then into the former Tauranga Town Hall before being installed in Baycourt.{{cite news|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/bay-of-plenty-times/news/wurlitzer-organs-keeper-will-pull-out-all-the-stops/XCPTPMXNFG3MHV2NUSUQY7HLNE/|title=Wurlitzer organ's keeper will pull out all the stops|work=New Zealand Herald|agency=Bay of Plenty Times|date=14 May 2015|first=Ruther|last=Keber}}