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City of Parramatta has approved the business case for the redevelopment and transformation of the Council owned and operated Riverside Theatres into Western Sydney’s pre-eminent arts and cultural precinct.

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Donna Davis said it was an exciting next step towards Riverside’s revitalisation, breathing new life into the well-loved theatre for audiences and communities to enjoy for generations to come.

Lord Mayor Davis noted “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.

“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 project includes the construction of a 1350-seat lyric theatre, a newly refurbished 760-seat playhouse, a new 430-seat drama theatre, and state-of-the-art digital studio and cinema.

The City of Parramatta is seeking additional funding from state and federal governments, as well as philanthropic contributions, to support its significant investment in the project. The Riverside redevelopment was one of 36 projects Council put forward for funding from the NSW Government’s WestInvest grants program.

Lord Mayor Davis adds “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.

“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 Director Craig McMaster said the calibre of the new complex will be a major drawcard for award-winning Australian and international productions.

McMaster shared “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.

“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 community is invited to have their say on the planning proposal for the Riverside Theatres site until 2nd February, ahead of the launch of a design excellence competition in 2023.

For more information, click here. 

Related Articles

16th May 2022 - Redevelopment plans progress to next stage for Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres

4th November 2021 - Riverside Theatres partners with Sydney Festival to deliver hit musical

2nd September 2021 - Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres continues to deliver online entertainment

29th July 2021 - Concept proposal approved for Riverside Theatres revitalisation

23rd July 2021 - Craig McMaster named new Director for Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres

16th September 2020 - Riverside Theatres welcomes audiences back to venue for annual Spot On Children’s Festival

13th November 2012 - Enta renews agreement with Sydney’s Riverside Theatres

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