Arts Centre Melbourne

If you’re looking for a free activity in the most liveable city, look up The Midnight Oil Exhibition. It’s free and informative.
Well worth the time, there are some interesting facts about the band and plenty to see and read.
And if you’re looking to relive the Oils days there is merchandise to buy.
Happy reading.

I have to admit that this is one of those places that I only come to for a specific reason, and that is usually because there is a play that I wish to see (namely some Bell Shakespeare production, namely because it is the only Shakespeare that I get to see in Australia). The first time I came here I was in for a bit of a shock because I found myself having to go downstairs to get to the main area where the theatres where, and to get to my theatre (the Fairfax theatre) I have to go down another flight. In fact it felt as if I were the the depths of the underworld down here, which I must admit was really, really cool. In fact I could not think of a better place to stage theatrical productions than in the depths of the Earth. You can also take your beers into the theatre, which I also quite like, especially since I am one of those people that enjoys a beer while watching either a movie or a play. It’s a shame that not many other places offer the same. There is even this display (which I haven’t checked, but I probably should) about theatre during the war, as well as a bar on the ground floor. I’m sure I’m going to be coming back here, even if it is only for another Shakespeare.

The Arts Centre is always a great venue. They serve a light lunch plus snacks coffee and alcoholic beverages for before a shop or at intermission. It’s a large venue so make sure to allow plenty of time to find the right ‘door’ to enter via for your seats.
Depending on your seats there maybe LOT’S of stairs. If you have issues with stairs or lots of walking maybe worth contains the venue for advice.
It’s very well signed but there are also lots of staff around to ask. Now as with almost every venue ever built, ladies consider your beverage intake in relation to bathroom access and know that there will almost always be long queues. If you can wait till towards the end of intermission time there will be queues but they’ll be substantially shorter. Just saying.
It’s nice and warm in the outer area but during performances I can always feel cold breeze and generally need to pull on my coat.
There is parking under the Arts Centre but I’ve always walked from Flinders Street station. It’s a short walk and you’ll be in the company of half the audience as you walk so don’t expect to either get out of the Arts Centre quickly or get to the station quickly.
Overall it’s always a good experience visiting the Arts Centre!

A bit of a maze to get to the door where your seats are located, buts it’s all good, easy to navigate
Not much seating while you wait for the doors to opening
Once seated it is great, nice comfy seats with plenty of leg and arm room, great place to be

Hanging out in the Melbourne’s Arts precinct is one of my favourite activities. I love that you can rock up on any given day and there’ll be a neat free exhibition or two for you to peruse. I saw my first ballet performance there recently and was kind of blown away. I have never actually been inside the theatre (State Theatre) at the Arts Centre and am glad I now finally have. As an added bonus there was a Beatles exhibition on too!

I attended a work conference at the Arts Centre about a month ago and, then had drinks and snacks (gotta love work conferences!) to finish off the evening.
I had never been to the Arts Centre and didn’t get to wonder around really as it was pretty much — check in, get your name badge, find a seat, try not to fall asleep during the lecture, save your questions for later and, after that, make your way out to the back for drinks and snacks so I’ve been holding on to this review, wondering if I should not write it because, well, it’s only fair that to review the venue only after attending an actual event, isn’t it?
Anyway, I’ll give it my best shot and I’ll try to keep it fresh, flowing, informative and fun — the Unilocal way…
Set on St Kilda Road close to Flinders Street Station in the CBD, the Arts Centre is all about arts and entertainment and it is home to theatre, circus, roller and ice skating as well as cinema and dance events.
The venue’s website says that, following World War II, it was decided that Melbourne was in need of a cultural centre and a master plan was subsequently approved in 1960. That plan yielded 2 buildings (2 instead of 1 due to the geology of the site apparently) — Hamer Hall which opened in 1982 and the Theatres building followed 2 years later.
There is always something on at the Centre — Performing Arts and the exhibition of art collections, plays and it provides schools and business with a great option for trips and functions respectively.
Those who are passionate about and into arts and artsy things, there are memberships available that will perhaps and hopefully suit you guys.
If you’re visiting or have lived here all your life, it’s worth checking out an event of their art collection someday…

I saw my first musical theatre show here when I was 13 — it had me hooked for life and I will never forget the experience. Along with my mum and a couple of friends, I saw FAME– The Musical. We had seats in the front row of the dress circle, off to the left hand side, which was perfect viewing.
I remember being blown away with the luxury, and it not only began my love affair with musicals, but with the occasion of dressing up for a night out at the ballet, theatre, or opera. It doesnt have the historical significance that some of the other theatres in Melbourne do, but its place in the arts scene of Melbourne is firmly cemented as a modern landmark, and multi use space.
I believe there are other smaller venues in the centre, though I have not personally experienced them, and of course they have bars and snack stalls available during the evening. As far as the large theatre goes, no seat is a bad seat, the acoustics are fabulous, and I will etun again and again to any show that stands out to me — the ballet is another favourite here.

The Arts Centre is home to a number of theatre venues. I remember going here during the Melbourne Comedy Festival around Easter time to see the hilarious Dylan Moran. The specific theatre we were in was pretty massive and the acoustics were fantastic.
It is a very swanky venue and run very efficiently too.
It plays host to a range of productions be it the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, theatre productions and plays, comedy gigs, and anything else related to the performing arts.
Melbourne really is spoiled for choice when it comes to live performance venues and the Arts Centre has to be held in the highest regards amongst its counterparts.

Currently undergoing some re-​development; it will be so extraordinary and fantastic once those renovations are completed next year. A great hang out spot where there is a Melbourne Festival lounge available for when this event is on, and of course this establishment is also home to the Sidney Myer Music Bowl for concerts and christmas carol events in the Domain area.
The main entrance is situated on St Kilda Road, just opposite the NGV International, and it is divine with quality theatre and classical events. It was interesting taking the tour of the facility, which goes for about an hour off hand. I think off hand the earliest time is 11am, and for $ 15 a pop; not the best value for money in town; however it was time fairly well spent, plus your given a glass of bubbly all inclusive. A great day design plan would be to enjoy this tour, and then head further down St Kilda Road till you get to the domain and the botanical gardens to finish it off with some high quality nature.
Overall, I think this establishment will be more inviting and spectacular once the renovation works are complete. We will have to wait until 2012 and see.

In one word? Plush. Or opulent. I can’t quite decide. I visited the Arts Centre for the first time today to see an educational play a friend was starring in about the schoolyard bullying of refugees and expecting a modern and pared down affair. How wrong I was.
The Arts Centre, slap bang in the middle of Melbourne’s cultural precinct is a pretty grand space dedicated to nurturing and promoting the performing arts. And what it does it does well. I don’t know how many theatres the Arts Centre is home to but it feels truly, grandly cavernous and the interiors are nothing short of breathtaking.
The theatre I visited today must have seated around 400 people and was simple but impressive and the acoustics were great. The Arts Centre’s staff are friendly — if prone to a little confusion about where, for example, to pick tickets up from — and I certainly plan to return to Melbourne’s Art Centre to take in a little more culture.

Descending into lined Arts Centre to see «the Manganiyar Seduction», part of the Melbourne Festival. I only had one regret, it was 15 minutes to the curtain went up and I didn’t have time to see the exhibition on the ground floor. Only once have I managed to see the exhibition before going down to one of the theatres to see a show. They have some very good exhibitions at the Arts Centre relating to visual aspects of the performing arts.
The dim lights, the red carpet, the brass handrails, the Sydney Nolan paintings, the various bars, it is a luxurious environment soothing the patrons before the show. However, I needed to make a quick detour to the toilets before the show, so I hurried on looking for both the sign for the door that I needed to enter and for toilets. I saw both at the same time. The men’s toilet was equally opulent and had plenty of room for the before show rush. Back to C waiting for me at the door, we are handed a program as we enter and we join the last of the people finding their comfortable seats.
«The Manganiyar Seduction» was spectacular and after giving the performers a standing ovation the audience had to find our way back to the surface and out of the Arts Centre. This was accomplished with remarkable ease.

Whilst not really somewhere you’d «pop in to» without a definite purpose (ie to see a show), once you get inside you realise just how special and important the arts are.
The Arts Centre is a celebration of performance. Dotted all around are glass cases housing an oft changing exhibition of some of the most exquisite costumes I’ve ever seen. Then there is the restaurant for dinner, pre-​dinner drinks, pre-​show drinks… Or the members lounge. Or the exhibition space, with its displays of Australian ballet or our Kylie’s many costumes or whatever other popular topics that can bring in the unfamiliar.
The staff are friendly and accommodating (sometimes necessary — the centre is disability accessible), the centre is a maze of unexpectedly huge theatres, and the parking is very reasonable. Enjoy some «culture».