For thousands of years, the land around Birrarung (the Yarra River) has been Melbourne’s meeting place – an area of cultural significance for our First Nations and a place of creative expression. Today the site is home to the Melbourne Arts Precinct; a vibrant creative community and the artistic heart of our city.

 

Extending from Fed Square through to Southbank and beyond, the Melbourne Arts Precinct has one of the highest concentrations of arts, cultural and creative organisations in the world, hosting around 3000 performances and exhibitions each year.

 

The Victorian Government is investing $1.7 billion to transform the Melbourne Arts Precinct into one of the great creative and cultural destinations in the world.

The Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation is the largest cultural infrastructure project in Australia’s history and a new entity, MAP Co, has been established to spearhead this multidimensional project and connect the precinct in a seamless, immersive, cultural experience.

 

Early works on upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne are underway with major construction beginning in early 2023.

The Melbourne Arts
Precinct Transformation
will deliver:

The Fox: NGV Contemporary

The Fox: NGV Contemporary, a new gallery dedicated to contemporary art and design, is set to be the largest of its kind in Australia.

Arts Centre Melbourne Upgrades

Upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne’s Theatres Building, home to the Australian Ballet, Opera Australia, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, and shows that will shine brighter and sound better than ever before.

New Green Spaces

18,000sqm of expansive urban garden, restaurants and bars, creative spaces, and public art.

News & Updates

Several piles of reclaimed timbers sitting in a warehouse

11 September 2023

Sustainability is a key focus for the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation project and we're looking at different ways to re-use, recycle and reduce.

A group of people wearing high-vis vests standing on the stage at the Arts Centre Melbourne posing of photo during a tour

31 August 2023

In this newsletter, you can learn more about recent project updates including: introducing the Community Reference Group; Open House Melbourne walking tours; supporting our local traders; and what’s happening on the ground.

11 August 2023

The project will be making some changes to the Sturt and Kavanagh streets intersection to improve safety for traffic and pedestrians.