MEDIA RELEASE • 18 AUGUST 2023
Geelong Arts Centre is thrilled to welcome visitors to the eagerly awaited grand opening of its transformed Little Malop Street building, marking a significant milestone after more than four years of visionary design, construction, and collaboration.
Set to take place from August 19, this $140 million redevelopment project, backed by the Victorian Government, welcomes a new era of creativity, culture, and entertainment for the region.
The Geelong Arts Centre's Grand Opening Festival promises an exhilarating lineup of talent that will captivate audiences and bring a burst of excitement to Geelong's cultural landscape. As the curtains rise on this remarkable occasion, visitors will be treated to an unforgettable series of performances and events spanning music, comedy, and theatre.
The four-week celebration will feature range of free and ticketed events for community members, including a vibrant community open day showcasing local talent, backstage tours, and more.
The Grand Opening Festival embraces a diverse spectrum of traditional and contemporary art forms, reflecting Geelong Arts Centre's commitment to fostering creativity and cultural enrichment.
After many years of community and stakeholder consultation, the design of the Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment has been an extraordinary collaboration.
Coming together as co-designers, Geelong Arts Centre, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community have worked together to welcome Country into the very fabric of the design and found opportunities for deep collaboration.
Together, they have woven traditional stories of the land, language, water and sky, and the colours and textures of Moonah trees, ochre, and granite stone throughout the layers of the building, and look forward to a bright future celebrating diversity in all forms.
Entertainment lovers will be dazzled by The Story House; a multi-format 550-seat theatre expanding to 850 in ‘live gig’ mode and The Open House; a 250-seat contemporary hybrid venue featuring a giant door connecting the space to Little Malop Street Plaza, as well as dynamic and colourful foyer and bar facilities alongside a range of event spaces, including alfresco dining on Little Malop Street.
Geelong Arts Centre is a celebration of artistic excellence and is deeply committed to enriching the whole region. As Geelong Arts Centre embarks on this exciting new chapter, they are dedicated to providing access to inspirational arts experiences, nurturing creativity, and creating community.
Geelong Arts Centre welcomes everyone to the Grand Opening Festival inviting audiences to experience the vibrant cultural tapestry of Geelong and ensuring that the benefits of artistic expression continue to resonate throughout the community for years to come.
To explore Geelong Arts Centre’s Grand Opening Festival head to geelongartscentre.org.au/grand-opening-festival
Bookings can be made via the website, or by phoning the Box Office on 1300 251 200 between 9:00am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
QUOTES ATTRIBUTABLE
“The Grand Opening Festival marks the culmination of years of dedication, passion, and community collaboration, reaffirming Geelong Arts Centre's commitment to extraordinary cultural expression for the region, Victoria, and beyond!”
Quote attributable to Joel McGuinness
Geelong Arts Centre CEO & Creative Director
“The anticipation for this sold-out show is electrifying! Geelong Arts Centre's Grand Opening Festival is a momentous occasion, and I can't wait to join in the celebrations by sharing my music with people from right across Geelong, the Surf Coast and the Bellarine. Get ready to dance and sing your heart out!"
"Performing in front of a packed audience on the opening night of Geelong Arts Centre's Grand Opening Festival is beyond exciting. I can't thank my fans enough for their support. Let's light up the stage together!"
Quote attributable to Jessica Mauboy
"Victoria is the creative state and world class facilities like this show that world-class creativity can be found well beyond Melbourne."
"Geelong Arts Centre of old helped kickstart the careers of Rachel Griffiths, Guy Pearce and Dave Thornton and now this transformed facility will inspire a whole new generation."
Quotes attributable to Steve Dimopoulos
Minister for Creative Industries
“The opening of Geelong Arts Centre is the culmination of the collaboration between the arts community and Traditional Owners. This venue enriches our region with an unparalleled hub of arts and culture, and First Peoples culture, and the journey to arrive at this milestone has showcased the remarkable dedication of the Geelong community.”
Quote attributable to Christine Couzens MP
Member for Geelong
FURTHER INFORMATION
Grand Opening Festival information can be found at geelongartscentre.org.au/grand-opening-festival
Talent interviews may be available on request.
ABOUT THE DESIGN
The design of the Geelong Arts Centre’s Little Malop Street Redevelopment is due to a remarkable collaboration between Geelong Arts Centre, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community living, working and playing in the G21 region.
Having begun as a series of impassioned conversations between Geelong Arts Centre, Wadawurrung Aboriginal Traditional Owners Corporation, and members of the First Nations community, ideas of incorporating First Nations narratives into the Geelong Arts Centre campus were part of the original ideation for this design.
The project and design team engaged closely with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and other First Nations groups in the Geelong region from April 2020, ensuring First Nations themes were integrated into all aspects of the design process, and not just referenced visually. Throughout this time, one key question continued to arise: “How do we welcome Country into the very fabric of this building?”
Coming together as co-designers, Geelong Arts Centre, ARM Architecture, Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the wider First Nations community identified opportunities to pursue in the project design and delivery, including cultural reflection in the building’s design, economic development and employment opportunities, culturally relevant programming, inclusivity and accessibility.
Together, they have woven traditional stories of the land, language, water and sky, and the colours and textures of Moonah trees, ochre, and granite stone throughout the layers of the building.
Deep listening has been at the epicentre of this design journey, and Geelong Arts Centre is incredibly grateful for the generosity of the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation in sharing stories and continuing to walk with us to develop the First Nations themes and narratives that bring this venue to life and create meaningful connections to Country and culture.
One of the most exciting design elements of the Geelong Arts Centre Little Malop Street Redevelopment is the presentation of specially commissioned artworks within the building's spaces by four extraordinary First Nations artists; Kait James, Tarryn Love, Mick Ryan and Gerard Black.
EDITOR’S NOTE
For any media enquiries, please contact:
Georgia Allen
Geelong Arts Centre Communications & Social Media Lead
P: 0421 141 962
E: georgia@geelongartscentre.org.au
Ben Starick
Starling Communications
P: 0411 029 393
E: ben@starling.com.au