The study gets under way in Wanaka next week with a series of focus groups, and there are hopes a public announcement about the way forward can be made by September.
A group of local arts supporters and philanthropists behind the proposal are fundraising $140,000 to pay for the study.
Group spokesman Michael Sidey said yesterday the group was making good progress and had made a funding application to Creative New Zealand.
"We are confident about raising $140,000 but that’s not to discourage more people to contribute ... But we are not quite there yet," Mr Sidey said.
The community-initiated proposal surfaced last year when a delegation of supporters made a submission to the Queenstown Lakes District Council 10-year plan, seeking a proportional share of $52 million in long-term funding for performing arts centres.
At the time, there were concerns all the money might be earmarked for the $120 million Manawa cultural and community centre being developed jointly by the council and Ngai Tahu.
The Wanaka group is keen to build a performing arts centre that can seat more than the Lake Wanaka Centre (330 people) and host full ballet troupes and orchestras.
Mr Sidey said the Wanaka arts group had been encouraged when community services manager Dr Thunes Cloete supported the concept of proportional long-term arts funding for Wanaka.
Whether the centre actually went ahead, and where it might be built, was a "long, long, way ahead".
The group did not intend to broach site possibilities until the feasibility study was completed, Mr Sidey said.
The group had noted last week’s warnings from the Wanaka Community Board that groups wanting to develop community buildings must get the council and board on side right from the start, he said.
Community board deputy chairman Ed Taylor and Cr Quentin Smith both said last week there were "lessons to be learnt" from the Wanaka Community Hub situation, which left the hub trust struggling to repay $800,000 in debts after construction had been completed.
The board agreed to convert a $500,000 loan to a grant, to help the trust repay its debts and contribute to the mediated resolution of a relationship breakdown between the hub and its tenants.
Mr Sidey said the Wanaka arts centre group had proposed a big project and had kept Mayor Jim Boult, council chief executive Mike Theelen, and Dr Cloete in the loop from the beginning.
The Wanaka arts centre group also included Wanaka Community Board member Chris Hadfield, who had agreed to be a point of contact with the council, Mr Sidey said.
"Unless we get proportional funding, this thing won’t fly. While the Queenstown Lakes District Council won’t own it, or run it, they are a very big stakeholder,"he said.
The cost of building a performing arts centre should be clear once the feasibility study was completed, he said.
