Arts Centre Melbourne Upgrades

The upgrades to Arts Centre Melbourne will see significant improvements within the State Theatre auditorium, as well as exciting new spaces within the Theatres Building which sits below the iconic spire.

For the first time, there will be new lifts to help patrons with impaired mobility access the Stalls. New aisles in the Stalls and Circle will make it more efficient to find your seat, with accessible seating included throughout the auditorium. Additionally, new level platforms will be added to the Stalls, allowing patrons who use wheelchairs the option to sit across all three seating levels.

When the upgrades are complete, audiences will experience greater comfort, and benefit from improved sound and lighting systems, bringing this beloved theatre into the 21st century.

Beyond the State Theatre, improvements are being made to the back-of-house experience.

Performers and staff will benefit from:

• a new accessible Stage Door
• an expanded Loading Dock – doubling the size of the existing underground space to improve safety and efficiency when bumping performances in and out
• a flexible rehearsal space and studio, and function space.

The Theatres Building extends five storeys below street level and is anchored to the ground by a specialist engineering system which stops the foundations from corroding. Sections of this system will be upgraded to safeguard the building’s future.

Throughout construction, Arts Centre Melbourne remains open, so you can continue to enjoy dinner, a drink and a show, and everything they have to offer.