City of Parramatta Council has approved the business case for the reinvigoration of the city’s Riverside Theatres, which will see the construction of two new theatres and digital studio, as well as the refurbishment of the existing playhouse.

A brand new 1350-seat lyric theatre, 430-seat drama theatre and state-of-the-art digital studio and cinema will complement the 760-seat playhouse. The Council plans to launch a design excellence competition for the project later this year, with funding sought from state and federal governments and philanthropic contributions.

“The City of Parramatta is another step closer to our commitment to nurture the creative talent of tomorrow and deliver the West End to Western Sydney in a newly-imagined Riverside Theatres,” says City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Donna Davis.

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“Our much-loved theatre has been entertaining locals and visitors for more than 30 years and it’s time to move Riverside into the future. We are so excited about our plans to expand and modernise the theatres, so we can continue to foster our fantastic local talent and world-class creative work for decades to come.”

The redevelopment of the precinct is one of nearly 40 projects submitted by City of Parramatta for funding from the NSW Government’s WestInvest grants program.

“Our hope is to open the doors to this fantastic new venue by 2027 and put Parramatta firmly on the map as a cultural and creative destination for performers, patrons and producers,” Davis continues.

“A project of this significance, however, needs the support of all levels of government. With a renewed focus on cultural activities across Western Sydney, we look forward to working with state and federal governments to deliver a magnificent redeveloped Riverside Theatres for the region.”

riverside theatres renders

Riverside Theatres Director Craig McMaster says the complex and its first-rate spaces will be a major drawcard for award-winning Australian and international productions.

“It’s not often that you get to reimagine an icon, so we look forward to the delivery of a fabulous, upgraded version of our original Riverside Theatres that has long been the city and community’s beating heart,” he says.

“Performing arts is growing in Western Sydney and a new, larger scale lyric theatre will more than double the capacity of our existing theatres. It will be at the centre of a world-class cultural precinct in the heart of Parramatta’s CBD, alongside Council’s new community, cultural and civic hub, PHIVE, and the new Powerhouse Parramatta.”

The planning proposal is currently on public display, with local residents asked to have their say before 2 February. For more information, click here.

Jarrod Reedie

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