Carriageworks... Or will it?

It’s the sound of anticipation by five performing arts companies and a community about to embark on a project with the potential to change the performing arts landscape of Sydney forever.

There are countless examples of venues throughout the world catering to a new and adventurous generation of artists. These converted warehouses, factories and old workshops become a thriving hub of creativity. But Sydney has never seen anything like it since the opening of the Sydney Opera House.

For thirty years, state government and council endorsed development and gentrification has replaced theatres and public spaces with high-density eyesores - an exercise that would seem to demonstrate exemplifies a scant regard for the cultural life of the city.

However, the opening of Carriageworks in the disused site of the old Eveleigh Street train workshops welcomes a marked departure from previous urban policies. It will suddenly bring to the table a vocal and highly creative team of companies ready to flush out the performing arts scene in Sydney.

With a soaring steel structure and a rustic interior honouring the ghosts of blacksmiths, boilermakers, and shop stewards, Carriageworks will launch in January hosting international dance performances as part of the Sydney Festival. Fergus Linehan, Artistic Director of the festival sees the government's establishment of Carriageworks "as a statement of confidence. It is throwing down the gauntlet to artists".

Potentially, Carriageworks can provide a hub for artists screaming out for a venue willing to support them. With rehearsal rooms, a gallery, bar, cafe and two large theatres, it is a prime space which will be able to house the ambitions of the diversely different resident companies. Over 11,000sq metres of space has been dedicated to these artists, so companies can perform and develop simultaneously.

The five companies taking the leap into the site include The Performance Space, which is the biggest and most established. They will move from their Cleveland Street premises to continue their work in performance, live art, installation and artist residencies. Fiona Winning, Director sees it as an opportunity to "explore a new architecture... and to be with peers to develop a bigger profile for this part of the arts."

Joining them is ERTH, a visual theatre company that uses large puppetry. For the first time, ERTH will have their workshop, office space and performance area all in the one locality. Artistic Director, Scott Wright, sees ERTH’s role in Carriageworks as "bring[ing] an energy and life to the space that will stop it from becoming just another administration centre".

Theatre Kantanka, a project based company is also moving premises to the railway yards. With co-artistic directors Michael Cohen and Carlos Gomes at the helm, they intend to advance their site specific, big scale theatrical experiences. With a history in using disused factories, Carriageworks will be perfect for their next production set on the backlot of a Bollywood Film set.

Stalker, the fourth company entering the fray, produces the works of its co-artistic directors David Clarkson and Rachael Swain as well as the projects of the intercultural company Marrugeku, a collaboration with traditional and contemporary Indigenous artists. Interestingly, Stalker has a strong connection with the European market with 'acrobatic architecture fusion' events which have never been seen before in Australia. Annette Madden, the company spokesperson believes their new home "will provide a local home for the display of their work".

Of the fifth company, Gravity Feed, it is believed the ensemble of seven men will continue to explore their architectural performance theatre which relies heavily on expansive installation. It will again see Carriageworks used to its fullest potential.

Scott Wright of ERTH calls it "a big playground." Indeed, each of the companies are preparing to interact with the local communities en masse with collaborations, workshops, talks, forums and school holiday events. Along with a programme of live music, spoken word, physical theatre, contemporary dance, visual and multimedia art it will be a huge injection into the cultural life of the local community. Wright even predicts "Carriageworks is going to be the perfect place for Sydney to finally have a good fringe festival... a hub which can bleed over to all those venues in Newtown."

The price of Carriageworks on a scale of arts funding isn’t small. The NSW State Government has committed $49 million to the creation of this world-class venue. Out of a total $265 million spent on the arts portfolio as a whole in 2004-05, it appears to be an extremely large investment.

The big challenge for the new administrative team led by Sue Hunt is to make Carriageworks work economically. By launching this venue, the NSW State Government is over-seeing the creation of an epic project which will be a litmus test for future government arts policy. The financial success of the venue is relying on the commercial rent of 6840sq metres. By sitting somewhere in the grey area of government funding and the private sector, will Carriageworks provide a benchmark for the workings of future cultural venues around Australia?

Fiona Winning points out that there are no "examples internationally where a centre has been able to support itself without recurrent funding". Indeed, "there are examples all over Australia and all over the world where a government has erected a building and it has cost a lot more to run the building than anyone had thought".

As the opening gets closer, some important issues are still outstanding. It was only in June this year that ArtsNSW appointed Sue Hunt as General Manager, with very little time to establish the workings of the space. The rent for the spaces hasn’t been established, to date contracts with the resident companies haven’t been signed and storage space is a looming issue.

There is also disappointment resident companies won’t assist in the opening of the venue. One person who asked not to be identified commented that the opening of the site on January 5 will have an element of "the old cultural cringe" to it. Everyone will be there for the cutting of the ribbon, then they will go off to the Sydney Festival international events and the resident companies will all go home.

The Sydney Festival can’t be blamed. Their role isn’t in the production of events but in their presentation. Indeed all credit must go to Linehan who has secured an exciting programme of events including the UK's Akram Khan's Zero Degrees, the Australian Dance Theatre from Adelaide and two pieces by Israel's Batsheva Dance Company.

It will be vital the State Government guarantees that the $49 million it has set aside for the venue is not wasted and continued support of the venue provides for its original intention - to showcase the very best and most exciting performing arts venue in the city. With a state election looming and the retirement of Arts Minister Bob Debus in March, it is imperative both sides of the political spectrum commit to its vital role in the cultural life of Australia's biggest city.

The Sydney Festival runs from January 6 to 27, 2007. Visit the festival online at www.sydneyfestival.org.au

Nicholas Pickard - A director and arts writer, Nicholas has worked in both Australia and Europe for a variety of theatre events and festivals. A directing graduate of the Akademija za Gledališèe, Radio, Film in Televizijo (University of Ljubljana, Slovenia), Nicholas' experience also includes working for the Sydney Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Sarajevo TeaterFest and the Belgrade International Arts Festival.