Creating local jobs: $15 million for Belconnen Arts Centre


Released 19/12/2018

Minister for the Arts and Cultural Events, Gordon Ramsay today turned the first sod to mark the start of construction for the $15 million expansion of the Belconnen Arts Centre.

The Belconnen Arts Centre will soon include a flexible theatre space, a new dance and rehearsal studio, new exhibition space, and a café.

The project will create 27 new jobs and will include vast training opportunities for cadets undergoing a Bachelor of Building and Construction Management at the University of Canberra.

“This project is a big win for Canberra’s local construction industry, university students and our ever important arts sector,” Minister Ramsay said.

“Most notably, the new flexible theatre space will provide opportunities for performing arts that previously haven’t been available in Belconnen.

“The community is supportive of these upgrades and today marks a very exciting day for the individuals and organisations that have campaigned for the expanded facilities.

“We received valuable input from the staff and board about the design of the new spaces, and I look forward to seeing that vision come to fruition.

“This was a 2016 election commitment and I’m glad that we were able to break the ground on this project before the end of 2018.”

Arts activities will continue as per usual at the Arts Centre during the construction period. There will be minor disruptions which will be communicated to visitors via the Belconnen Arts Centre website at relevant stages of the project.

Local construction company, PBS Building is carrying out the works which are scheduled for completion in early 2020.

The ACT Government is also progressing the design of the foreshore shared path for the section of the lake next to the arts centre. This will allow coordination between the arts centre site design and the foreshore shared path design.

More information about the Belconnen Arts Centre Stage two construction can be found at artsACT website.

The expansion of the Belconnen Arts Centre is an item in the 2016 Parliamentary Agreement between ACT Labor and the ACT Greens.

- Statement ends -

Gordon Ramsay, MLA | Media Releases

Media Contacts

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anton.gallacher@act.gov.au


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