Geelong Arts Centre

Grand Opening Festival

Little Malop Street | 19 August - 23 September 2023

Geelong Arts Centre is thrilled to unveil the highly anticipated $140m Little Malop Street Redevelopment with a stellar 4-week Grand Opening Festival!

Our extraordinary festival launches Saturday 19 August, with free and ticketed events that celebrate stories, creativity and diversity.

Geelong Arts Centre will throw open its doors to the public on Saturday 19 August with two opening night events featuring stellar headliners; celebrated multi-ARIA-Award winning R&B-pop artist, Jessica Mauboy, and an Australian comedy triple-header, featuring Dave Thornton, Dilruk Jayasinha and Lizzy Hoo.

The phenomenal opening night will be followed by an extraordinary four-week festival of free and ticketed events not to be missed.

To top it all off Geelong Arts Centre is also giving away the most adventurous ticket in town as part of the Geelong Arts Centre Golden Ticket giveaway, valued at more than $4,000!

Little Malop Street Redevelopment - Exterior

Grand Opening Festival

Following the phenomenal Grand Opening our extraordinary four-week festival of free and ticketed events is not to be missed.

The epic festival line-up will include Missy Higgins, Opera Australia, Belvoir St Theatre, family fun with Windmill Theatre Company, a vibrant Community Open Day, Backstage Tours, and so much more.

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First Nations Artwork

Discover four specially commissioned artworks within the building's spaces by extraordinary First Nations artists.

Amplifying the voices of the local First Nations community, ARM worked closed with Wadawurrung artist Kait James, and local First Nations artists Tarryn Love, Gerard Black Mick Ryan to showcase First Nations stories through the campus.

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Geelong Arts Centre’s $140m Little Malop Street Redevelopment

Delivering on a bold future for Geelong Arts Centre, the festival will provide the community’s first ever look at brand-new, world-class performance venues.

Designed by Ian McDougall (ARM), the new centre sits at the heart of Geelong’s cultural precinct, affirming its status as a UNESCO City of Design. The striking design brings together elements drawn from the history of Geelong, the strong and continuing Wadawurrung connections to Country and First Nations culture generally, and the traditions of circus and theatre. 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.

We respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Geelong Arts Centre stands, the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to Elders past, to Elders present and to emerging leaders, recognising their continuing connection to land, water, culture and community.