Arts Centre Melbourne Welcomes Victorian Government's Multi-Million Dollar, 2-Year Commitment

Arts Centre Melbourne welcomed the Victorian Government's commitment of $2 million per year for the next two years, announced as part of the 2013 State Budget.

The commitment will ensure Arts Centre Melbourne, Australia's largest performing arts centre, is able to continue to deliver a diverse, year-round offering of performances and activities to the broadest possible audience. This will include main stage performances, regional and education programs, and low cost family events and programs.

"This is welcome support from the Victorian Government as Arts Centre Melbourne shapes its ongoing programming strategy, particularly since the re-opening of Hamer Hall in July 2012. We are taking an industry leadership role to ensure a steady supply of high quality arts events and experiences to the widest possible audience," said Chief Executive Judith Isherwood.

"We are continuing our long-standing commitment to provide the best performing arts experience to our ever-growing and changing audience. We're doing this by thinking creatively and broadly across the entire performance spectrum and complementing the work presented year-round by our stage partners."

Arts Centre Melbourne is a not-for-profit organisation which receives around 20% of its operational funding from the Victorian Government and relies on its own commercial activities and the support of generous individuals to reach deeply into the community. It delivers Australia's largest performing arts participation program, with over 150,000 children, young people and their families taking part each year, with a further 55,000 students and teachers participating in its annual education program. Last year Arts Centre Melbourne staged more than 4,400 performances and public events, engaging with more than 2.3 million people.

Important Arts Centre Melbourne programming initiatives in 2013 include the Australian premiere of the internationally acclaimed theatrical masterpiece War Horse as part of a new Summer Season, the return of The Famous Spiegeltent, a new collaboration with the Melbourne Theatre Company to present the West End hit One Man, Two Guvnors, and a new curated Winter Season which includes the forthcoming Australian exclusive season of the ground-breaking 20th century opera Einstein on the Beach and a new exhibition profiling the career of world-famous actor Geoffrey Rush.

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