An Opera House for all

The Balnaves Foundation Open House Program offers subsidised $5 tickets to selected performances at the Sydney Opera House to underprivileged and unemployed people.

“There is a price barrier to people of different socio-economic class and we felt we had to do something that allows a wider range of the community to see some of the great stuff that we put on here,” says Norman Gillespie, Chief Executive Officer of the Sydney Opera House. The initiative is part of the Opera House’s Annual Giving Program which will fund artistic, education and access initiatives.

“It is all about making the place lively, vibrant and relevant to everybody because we really like to think this place as the mother of all community halls. Because that is what it is really,” says Mr Gillespie.

“It is very important we communicate to people this is available. It will not work unless people know that it is available and actually come and apply for these subsidised tickets,” he adds. “This is the first season so we are learning as we go along how we can best reach out to the people you want to get to.”

The tickets for the first two shows have been sold through the Factory Community Centre in Waterloo and a temporary box office has also been set up in Waterloo Public Library for the next show in June.

“From the feedback I am hearing from the community the program is very well accepted and people are very excited about getting to go inside the Opera House,” says Melissa Burgess, a Community Development Worker at the Factory Community Centre.

Year one of the program focuses on inner city residents, expanding to southern and western suburbs in years two and three.

Source: South Sydney Herald July 2007 http://www.southsydneyherald.com.au/