17 December, 2022

A Rose Centre by any other name?

The Rose Centre in Belmont is looking to rebrand with a different name and hoping to use its 30th birthday party this weekend as a chance to get feedback on options.

All the names suggested by the centre board have ‘@the RoseCentre’ appended to them.

They include ‘BECA@ theRoseCentre’, BECA being an acronym for Belmont Events, Community and Arts.

The other options for the first part of the name are: BELA (Belmont Events, Learning and Arts); THE BEL (Belong Engage Learn); Te Rito (te reo for a new harakeke/flax shoot); Te Puāwai (to bloom); Convene; The B.C. (The Belmont Centre); Vivida (Latin for lively); or Ovation.

Rose Centre board member Ann Langis said the centre wanted to be known for more than just its theatre. The decision to rebrand was taken to better incorporate a community aspect into the name.

The centre wanted a name that respected its past while creating a new identity as a community space rather than a venue for hire.

The rebranding process initially began in 2020, when the new board surveyed 163 people and found it was more commonly recognised as a theatre than a community space.

Langis said the nine options all aimed to “elevate the status of the community”.

The board had begun consulting with the community via a survey to discover the most popular options.

Retaining the current name is not given as an option in the sur- vey, but Langis said changing it is not a foregone conclusion.

“Nothing is set in stone,” she said. The goal was to engage the community in the conversation.

Links to the survey have been shared with people on the the centre’s mailing list and that of the Company Theatre, which has been based at the centre since it was built in 1992. It has also been shared on social media. Saturday’s birthday party, running from 3-5pm, will be used as a chance to get further feedback. Rose Centre volunteers plan to circulate during the event, surveying those not reached by email.

The party will feature an archival photo exhibition showing the centre’s history and its partnerships with Belmont Primary School and Company Theatre.

At 6pm, the Rose Singers will give a Christmas performance.

The centre held a smaller 30th birthday celebration in September for board members and others close to the centre, such as volunteers and associated organisations.