Page 3697 - Week 12 - Thursday, 13 October 1994
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The planner, Ms Marla Guppy, has been assessing current and future needs and will be presenting her report for Tuggeranong Community Arts this week. Cultural marketing planning has also been a highlight of this Government's approach. The Canberra Arts Marketing Consortium has recently appointed a marketing manager, with the assistance of funds from the ACT Government and the Australia Council. This organisation is aiming to assist in the marketing and promotion of ACT cultural achievements.
Madam Speaker, I now turn to the provision of facilities for the arts. Recently, I announced the provision of $7m for the ACT Cultural and Heritage Centre to be built in North Building in Civic. This centre is another direct benefit of the casino premium and will provide the Territory with a further opportunity to project its own unique identity. The other significant development in Civic is the Playhouse redevelopment. An amount of $2.3m was allocated in the 1994-95 capital works budget to supplement the allocation of $5m from the casino premium. Work is expected to commence on this project in 1994-95 and should conclude in late 1996. The desirability of providing a 600- to 650-seat theatre on the present Playhouse site was recognised by the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure in December 1992. It also has received support from the ACT Cultural Council. Those two developments are further examples of the Government's recognition of the importance of culture in shaping, reflecting and informing our community, and I am particularly proud that these facilities will be in Civic, as the cultural heart of the ACT.
This is not to say that this Government has saved all its efforts for the centre of the city. The Government is also committed to providing cultural facilities in the town centres. In this regard, on Monday I announced the allocation of a further $2.75m of the $19m casino premium for regional cultural facilities. The allocation includes $1.75m for the construction of a Tuggeranong Community Arts Centre; $0.5m for the upgrade of the auditorium at the Canberra Institute of Technology, Woden Campus, to provide particularly for contemporary music performers; and $0.5m for an upgrade of the Hawker College Theatre and construction of associated rehearsal and music practice spaces. I am particularly pleased with these developments because they address the important issues of community cultural development, community use of schools and strategic partnerships throughout Canberra.
Madam Speaker, another cultural facility opened in Canberra this year. Some time ago it became apparent that we needed a new community based theatre facility to replace the old Childers Street Theatre and the TAU Theatre at Braddon, which was destroyed by fire in 1990. The Street Theatre in Childers Street, City West, is a result of that process. You may know that the theatre is currently being used as a key venue during the National Festival of Australian Theatre. As I sat in its comfortable seats and watched a performance last Saturday night, I could not help reflecting on what an excellent facility it is. The seating, production, sound and lighting equipment in the theatre were provided by the ACT Government through the allocation of funds from the casino premium.
With the building of the theatre, Childers Street is beginning to have a real buzz about it. In fact, I believe that this area would make an ideal precinct for other cultural groups. As you may know, a government site in Childers Street next to the new Street Theatre has been identified to house four visual arts access organisations - Megalo Arts Access, Studio One, PhotoAccess and the Crafts Council. Such a major access facility would
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