Placemaking

The Sydney Dance Company Wharf Studios in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct reopened to the public on 4 January 2021 after being closed for two-and-a-half years for refurbishment. The investment from the NSW Government and support from Capital Campaign donors has helped maximise the space and create state-of-the-art facilities. This has enabled:

The dance and performing arts industry to have a place to meet, collaborate and work/train.

• The five dance studios, Boardroom/Studio 6 and the new fully equipped Conditioning Studio not only give us the space to expand our activities and programs but to invite more members of the small to medium and independent dance sector to use the facilities. Providing access to subsidised spaces for the sector supports the creation of new work, employment of artists, and encourages audiences to engage with the sector. For example, in December 2021 Grey Rhino, a new independent work by artists Charmene Yap and Cass Mortimer

Eipper, was supported through subsidised studio hire over a three-week period before being presented at Carriageworks as part of Sydney

Festival 2022.

• The physical space provides opportunities for the convergence of ideas and creativity. Having creation, rehearsal, training and participation all under the one roof leads to incidental connection and sparks collaboration.

• Mr Jones Café at the heart of the Walsh Bay Arts

Precinct and at the entrance to Sydney Dance

Company creates a hub for the arts sector to meet and for people from the community to enjoy a coffee before or after rehearsal or class.

• The facilities at the Wharf allow us to form digital places for connection, too. With the investment in hybrid teaching formats, we can now connect our studios to the world. Students can take a livestreamed class from their home, and school groups across Australia can experience a workshop from the Studios right on Sydney Harbour.

Connecting with our arts neighbours on Wharf 4/5

• Sharing the Wharf with our arts neighbours

Bangarra, Sydney Theatre Company, Gondwana

Choirs, Sydney Philharmonic Choirs and the Song

Room allowed us to create a presence in Sydney for the community to experience and participate in arts making and viewing. This is strengthened with Pier 2/3 coming online at the start of 2022 and bringing

Bell Shakespeare, Australian Theatre for Young

People and the Australian Chamber Orchestra to the precinct.

• Opening of Studio 5: Neilson Studio, a new theatre space that includes a 79-seat retractable seating bank, state-of-the-art technology and access to the Clegg Foyer and Bar, allowed us to host a series of events and performances throughout the year that attracted new audiences, and enabled us to reconnect with supporters and support the independent dance sector.

• Our Studio 5: Neilson Studio is a space that supports the presentation of dance at all levels.

Activity here included a live virtual rehearsal viewing, with introduction by Rafael Bonachela, during preparations for our Impermanence season, a performance of our own work Years by Rafael Bonachela, delivering work-in-progress showings of Pre-Professional Year creative developments, and local Sydney-based dance studios performing their end-of-year showcases.

• We can share spaces and work to feed a vibrant cultural precinct. For example, on 19 June a series of six concerts of young choirs were hosted by

Gondwana Choirs in Studio 5: Neilson Studio which allowed us to connect with another resident arts company by helping facilitate one of their annual choir receptions.

• One example of community engagement was Happenings, a one-night live music and performance event in April that drew audiences from the LGBTIQA+ and creative communities across Sydney. Supporting musicians and artists to present their work and giving guests an inclusive and enjoyable experience allowed us to connect and engage with existing and new audiences.