[U/C] Adelaide Festival Theatre Redevelopment

[Nathan]

Oh, and here's the confirmation of the $6m figure, from today's InDaily (I originally got it from a tweet by Fred Hansen, head of Renewal SA).

Heart of the Arts

THE launch of two new commemorative books last night kicked off a series of events celebrating the anniversary of the Adelaide Festival Centre and centenary of Her Majesty’s Theatre.

Heart of the Arts, by Lance Campbell, tells the story of the Festival Centre over the past 40 years, while Frank van Straten’s Her Majesty’s Pleasure “raises the curtain on the hidden history of Adelaide’s most remarkable playhouse”.

Following the book launch by Barry Humphries, the white roof of the Festival Centre was illuminated by colourful projections in an Electric Canvas light show which will continue through until June 30.

A special anniversary concert, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, will be performed in the Festival Theatre tonight and tomorrow by the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, while The Fezbah – the popular late-night club from the 1980s and ’90s – is returning to the centre’s Piano Bar for the same two nights.

While Premier Jay Weatherill last night announced $6 million in funding for infrastructure work for the 40-year-old Festival Centre, a much larger sum is still being sought for what many believe is a much-needed upgrade and redevelopment.

However, CEO Douglas Gautier said in a statement this week that the centre’s ongoing success was testament to Colonel William Light’s wish that Adelaide be a city of culture.

“It was the first capital city arts centre in this country and in the opinion of many it continues to be the most innovative.”

Heart of the Arts and Her Majesty’s Pleasure are both published by Wakefield Press.

[Shahkar]

The 'tiser states:

The Centre received a $6 million birthday present from Premier Jay Weatherill, who announced funding for infrastructure works to the centre and the surrounding Festival Plaza precinct. The funding will comprise $3.5 million for water proofing, concrete repair and other repair works, and $2.5 million for the fit-out of administrative facilities, budgeted over two years.

[Nathan]

Here's a good article on why the centre needs proper investment, not just small change for a spit & polish.

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2013/06/0 ... -hardcore/

Saving the Festival Centre: time to go hardcore
JILL BOTTRALL | 6 JUNE 2013

When Simon Crean recently failed to force a leadership challenge on Julia Gillard, it was widely reported that her anger had been amplified by the fact that she had gone out on a limb in Cabinet to support Crean’s $230 million arts and cultural policy.

There was little Cabinet support for it and Gillard had agreed to help it through, evidently in return for Crean’s ongoing loyalty.

This isn’t surprising. It’s a common malaise. The arts has always suffered as a taxpayer funding priority and it’s always pushed to the bottom of the pile. In this case it had been reduced to a kind of bargaining chip. Well, whatever it takes.

But the Crean/Gillard vignette highlighted yet again that the arts has a public image problem, pushed along in Australia by an inverse snobbery and a tendency to promote its attributes under the title of ‘creativity’ rather than ‘economic development’.

It’s about time the arts went hardcore. It’s time to toughen it up.

And this means the creative geeks have to get out of the way for a while and make way for the die-hard economic imperatives of this industry to take their place in the sun. The truth is, the creative industries are a major contributor to our nation’s wealth. They injected $31.1 billion into our national economy in 2007/08 while the cultural sector overall contributed $93.2 billion – more than agriculture, electricity and gas. The industries also directly employ 531,000 people, or more than 5 per cent of Australia’s total workforce.

These are impressively hardcore statistics. As a communications specialist, I’d say there’s a lot there to work with in terms of lifting its public profile and preventing successive Federal and State Cabinets from showing this industry the scant regard it doesn’t deserve.

The creative industries should be elevated onto a level playing field with the big players – because just imagine how much more the whole industry could grow and how many more jobs it could create and sustain if greater, strategic investments were made in the arts.

When the former Arts Minister Mike Rann annualised the Adelaide Festival, Womadelaide and the Festival Fringe and invested millions in a new SA Film Corp building, the Cabaret Festival, the OzAsia Festival, the Guitar Festival and so forth, it was met with the usual public derision from the commentariat which, politically, never helped his cause. He always had to fight like hell to get extra money for the arts from Kevin Foley and the argument was inevitably won on the basis of the jobs and economic activity it would generate. South Australia’s 10 principal festivals now contribute $63 million to the economy every year and have created 790 full time jobs.

Some Ministers would have preferred to stare straight at the sun than address the obvious plight of the ageing Festival Centre.

When the State Labor Government made the decision to devote a once-in-a generation investment into redeveloping, expanding and revitalising the Riverbank precinct, the Adelaide Festival Centre was disregarded by several key Ministers as just a building that sat within the vicinity.

Some Ministers would have preferred to stare straight at the sun than address the obvious plight of the ageing Festival Centre. And in lock step with Ministers, senior bureaucrats working on the precinct upgrade obliged by drawing up plans that ensured the centre was something to be blanked out and worked around. Rather than treat it as an equal partner in the project, they saw it as an annoyance.

Last weekend the Festival Centre celebrated its 40th anniversary and received a $6 million gift from the Premier for critical infrastructure works. This is a small recognition of the work that needs to be done, but in reality, it will only be enough for a spit and polish.

Operationally, the Adelaide Festival Centre has reached its zenith. Its Board of Trustees headed by the very able Barry Fitzpatrick is working like a well-oiled machine. Its CEO and Artistic Director Douglas Gautier, more valuable to our State than the Cullinan Diamond, has worked hard in the past few years to broaden its appeal to a wider audience and get it working pretty much every night of the year.

People who had never given the Festival Centre a second glance have found themselves turning up and enjoying all kinds of fabulous shows and hanging out at its many late night venues. It’s now attracting into its theatres and precinct shows, 900,000 people a year. Impressively hardcore.

Behind the scenes, in the bowels of the centre, there works a dedicated group of people who keep the centre running with equipment and technology from the last century, installed in service rooms where concrete cancer is quietly grinding away beneath its walls. The building is falling victim to the old malaise – low-priority syndrome.

The only thing that will save the Adelaide Festival Centre and set it on a path for its next 40 years is a Cabinet that’s not afraid to embrace a masterplan (funded by a defiant Mike Rann) for its $420 million redevelopment over the next 10 years.

The AFC is the front and centre of the Riverbank precinct and it needs to be on an equal footing with the other developments blossoming around it. The Festival Centre is our asset. It brings in money and people and creates jobs and enjoyment, it establishes important cultural links to the first Australians, to Asia and beyond and it ignites our creative lives in all kinds of ways.

The Adelaide Festival Centre has served its purposes well for 40 years and now it needs our attention to survive the next 40 years. As the Festival State, South Australia simply cannot afford to leave it behind. And that’s the impressive, hardcore truth.

Jill Bottrall is a communications consultant. She was an adviser to former Premier Mike Rann.

This article was first published on her website.

[SRW]

Here's a good article on why the centre needs proper investment, not just small change for a spit & polish.

http://indaily.com.au/opinion/2013/06/0 ... -hardcore/

Saving the Festival Centre: time to go hardcore
JILL BOTTRALL | 6 JUNE 2013

Hear, hear!

[Shahkar]

I thought the image looked pretty good as well.

[Wayno]

Hear, hear!

Ditto

[claybro]

Just re the Festival Center, have noticed the last couple of weeks on Ch7, who use the riverbank as a live backdrop for their NEWS, the current illumination of the Festival Center roof. It is most noticeable in the background and looks fantastic. Have not had a chance to see it live, but I would assume it looks equally as good live. Surely this could become a permanent feature? If they also set up some lit water fountains in the river as per some ideas of the Riverbank precinct it would all look quite spectacular.

[ml69]

Just re the Festival Center, have noticed the last couple of weeks on Ch7, who use the riverbank as a live backdrop for their NEWS, the current illumination of the Festival Center roof. It is most noticeable in the background and looks fantastic. Have not had a chance to see it live, but I would assume it looks equally as good live. Surely this could become a permanent feature? If they also set up some lit water fountains in the river as per some ideas of the Riverbank precinct it would all look quite spectacular.

I've seen them several times. The images are to promote the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and look quite good. My only beef is that they aren't bright and lit up enough to really stand out and look truly spectacular. But yes something year round would be great.

[Dog]

I hope with any new development plans for the Festival Theatre, some thought will be given to returning the building to its original design.
I can't believe that anyone thought it of architectural merit to build a colourbond verandah on the front of the theatre and then enclose it.
.
From memory we use to have a view of the river under the plaza before the area was enclosed.

[Matt]

Labor and the Walker group better get in quick.


http://m.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south- ... 6799836783


A FESTIVAL Square modelled on Melbourne's Federation Square could replace the dilapidated Hajek Plaza through a joint venture between the Festival Centre Trust and Adelaide Casino.

The State Liberal Party has committed that, if elected, it will give the plaza, between Parliament House and the Festival Centre, and the carpark underneath back to the Festival Centre Trust.

This would allow the Trust to use profits from an expanded carpark to fund a redevelopment of the plaza, behind Parliament House.

TELL US: How should the plaza be used?

Trust chairman Barry Fitzpatrick, a former Adelaide Bank chief executive, said it was financially viable to expand the crumbling carpark without any direct government funding and use it as a revenue source to redevelop the plaza.


An artist’s impression of the possible makeover. Source: Supplied

He said a joint-venture with Adelaide Casino would be the most obvious way to proceed and that the Trust had developed an independent business case.

"It's not just something that's pie in the sky. The Trust believes that components of the redevelopment such as the carpark offer commercially viable opportunities which could attract private investment and is open to exploring different options either leading the project or in partnership with other bodies," he said.


Mr Fitzpatrick said a plan to upgrade the carpark was needed this year and would take about 18 months to complete. The roof of the carpark would provide a new surface for the plaza and allow further redevelopment to commence.

A redevelopment would likely include:

AN EXPANDED 1360 space carpark.

A PLAZA revamp creating a single-level ``Festival Square'' with the main entrance to the Festival Centre, cafes, a super-screen and other facilities for community and arts events.

MOVING or getting rid of the Hajek sculptures subject to public consultation.

L ANDSCAPING to open views and access between the River Torrens and King William St.

The Sunday Mail understands Adelaide Casino believes there needs to be at least 1000 carparks, up from the current 300, and would be willing to invest significantly in the expansion as well as the plaza redevelopment.

It is understood the casino's proposed $350 million expansion could be at risk of being taken off the table without a carpark expansion and redeveloped plaza.

The Liberal plan differs from that of the State Labor Government, which gave private developer Walker Corp exclusive rights to develop a plan for the carpark redevelopment following a tender process.


Adelaide Festival Centre southern plaza with design and sculpture by West German sculptor Otto Hajek. Picture: Tait Schmaal. Source: News Limited
In October the government approved changes to the area's zoning to allow building up to 20 storeys or higher "where design excellence can be demonstrated".

Liberal leader Steven Marshall said returning control of the carpark to the Trust would allow it to be self-sufficient.

"Every South Australian feels ashamed of the plaza because its been allowed to deteriorate because the State Government has taken away control of it from the Festival Centre," he said.

"I want us to create a cultural precinct that can be enjoyed by all South Australians and give the Festival Centre an expanded opportunity to provide entertainment in a new variety of ways.

"We would like the Festival Centre to be self-sufficient. At the moment it has to go with a begging bowl to the government for even the most minor updates but control of the carpark will allow it to deliver a plaza that builds on the arts heritage of this state along working with the private sector, city council and government."

Adelaide City Council Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood said he welcomed the Liberal plan because it would ensure the plaza was not developed for offices and remained community land.




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[Waewick]

I think I like the liberals idea better? Can't we build buildings else where?

[monotonehell]

I still think the plan that includes office space above the site is a better option. The plan above (other than being all about a bigger carpark for the Casino) mentions cafe`s, but without the offices above there will be very little traffic outside of entertainment hours, making any cafe` business there not viable. Without the daytime population we would be just creating another vacant lifeless plaza.

[Dog]

I think I like the liberals idea better? Can't we build buildings else where?

I think I am with you on this Waewick, I would would prefer to keep offices in the CBD and I like the open plaza behind parliament house but it does need a revamp to make it a multiple purpose space (new surface, power, toilets, lighting etc.).

The Parliament House and festival theatre are impressive buildings and building in front of them would be in kin with building in front of the new SAHMRI so it can't be seen.

The worst area is between old Parliament House, the casino and festival theatre is a dogs breakfast particularly the roadway and above ground car parks, this just makes a barrier to the festival plaza.

Not sure about the area being managed by the festival theatre though, I think it needs it own little team to keep it vibrant, manage the space and keep it fully booked. It would be a great venture for markets, food and dining when the footy's on, car club shows Fringe type performances.



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[Nort]

To be honest no matter what is done it's a disgrace that the plaza behind parliament was left untouched a decade ago when the section of the plaza connecting to the theatre was removed and the footbridge installed.

[ml69]

I still think the plan that includes office space above the site is a better option. The plan above (other than being all about a bigger carpark for the Casino) mentions cafe`s, but without the offices above there will be very little traffic outside of entertainment hours, making any cafe` business there not viable. Without the daytime population we would be just creating another vacant lifeless plaza.

Agree with Mono .... no snazzy plaza upgrade is going to bring vitality (ie people) to the area if there is no reason to be there.

The plaza area is currently a vast wasteland and even if we build a commercial building on it (I favour a mixed use development with offices, 5 star hotel and observation deck in addition to restaurants/cafés/bars in one building) there is STILL more than enough space for a public square of similar dimensions to Federation Square.

A casino extension with activated edges facing the revamped plaza, and providing a new entrance for the Festival Theatre at plaza level will help activate the plaza too.