Proposed Performing Arts Centre
During consultation for the now adopted Arts and Culture Plan 2020-2024, our community told us of the need to establish a creative precinct and a performing arts centre on the Peninsula. A subsequent investigation and feasibility study confirmed this shortage of professional performing arts and cultural spaces and looked at recommended future sites.
The most suitable site (out of 23 assessed) for a contemporary theatre is located in Hastings.
An arts precinct will:
- support and grow our rich cultural and local creative arts industries and increase opportunities for participation, engagement, and audience development for the whole municipality
- support the Shire’s tourism industry by attracting visitors from outside the municipality as well as opportunities for diversification of the economy and economic uplift
- resolve the issue of a lack of rehearsal spaces and spaces to create work
Did you know?
The Shire is also home to a growing arts community with a growing demand for performance spaces which includes more than:
- 30 dance schools
- 23 historical groups
- 20 community choirs
- 10 amateur theatre groups
- 54 schools
- 350 stakeholder community groups/organisations and hundreds of artists
Over 932 businesses and non-profit organisations are active in the creative and cultural industries and engage more than 3.4% of region’s workforce.
The heritage, creative and performing arts sector contributes $55M to the Shire’s economy annually.
Member for Hastings, Mr. Paul Mercurio MP, specifically discussed the importance of a Performing Arts Centres for the Peninsula during his inaugural speech to Parliament.
Business Case and Concept Development current status
Progress continues to be made on the Business Case and Concept Development of a Performing Arts Centre in Hastings. Consultants have been focusing on the conceptual layouts to start bringing the visual impact of the potential facility to life. These concepts along with an update on the Business Case were presented to Councillors at a workshop on 6th March.
Key engagement sessions took place in March, in which the local performing arts community were invited to be updated on the project and shown the initial concepts. Valuable feedback was provided which is now being incorporated into the final documents. Work has also been completed on developing funding strategy options and advocacy ideas as part of finalising this stage of the project.
The final draft Business Case and Concept Development documents are currently planned to be presented to Council on 20th August.
What’s next?
Officers will make a recommendation to Council to progress to the next stage of the project, which is preliminary Concept Design work including detailed site investigations, to further advance the project.
Advocacy
We are seeking $1M to deliver the next stage, which is the concept design and further refinement of construction cost estimates. A further $7M is required for the detailed design, including site investigations, testing. Find out more about funding on our Advocacy page.
A large scale project needs ongoing support from the community to succeed. Please get in touch with us to find out more or provide your thoughts and feedback.
