Carriageworks facts for kids
Carriageworks' Public Space
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| Established | 2007 |
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| Location | Redfern, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Type | Contemporary multi-arts including visual arts, dance, performance, music, film, food and design |
| Visitors | 1,320,000 (2017) |
Carriageworks is a huge arts center in Redfern, Sydney, Australia. It's built in an old train workshop area. Carriageworks shows off amazing contemporary art and performing arts. It also hosts films, festivals, markets, and other events.
It's the biggest place like this in Australia. The New South Wales Government supports it. They get help from Create NSW and the Australian Government. Carriageworks has asked artists from Australia and around the world to create new works. It's also home to many theatre, dance, and film groups. A weekly farmers' market has been held there for many years.
In May 2020, Carriageworks faced big financial problems. This was because of government rules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many events had to stop. But Carriageworks worked hard to get back on its feet. It successfully reopened to the public in August 2020.
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What is Carriageworks?
Carriageworks is Australia's largest center for many different types of modern art. It gets support from both the New South Wales and Australian governments.
Its goal is to be a cultural hub that inspires people in Sydney. It wants to show a wide range of art and performances. This includes visual arts, dance, music, film, and fashion. In 2017, over 1.3 million people visited Carriageworks. The center hosts about 100 projects every year.
How Carriageworks is Run
A company called Carriageworks Ltd manages the venue. The New South Wales government owns the property. As of September 2021, the board has eight members. Blair French became the CEO in 2019.
Lisa Havilah was the Director from 2012 to 2018. She helped Carriageworks become a major arts venue. She made partnerships with big events like Sydney Festival and Vivid Sydney. Visitor numbers grew a lot during her time.
History of Carriageworks
The area where Carriageworks stands was once a big train workshop. It was built between 1880 and 1889. This place was called the Eveleigh Rail Complex Yards. Train carriages for Sydney's growing rail network were built and fixed here. Even special Royal Carriages were made for important visitors!
Over time, the buildings became old and less efficient. The workshops closed in 1988.
In 2002, the NSW Ministry for the Arts bought parts of the old workshop. They started a project to turn it into an arts center. This is called "adaptive reuse" – changing an old building for a new purpose. Carriageworks officially opened in 2007. In 2008, it won awards for how well it reused the old buildings.
In 2013, Carriageworks became even bigger. It added 5,000 square meters of space. Big events like Ryoji Ikeda's Test pattern (No 5) and Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Australia were held there.
In 2014, Carriageworks showed Chance by Christian Boltanski. They also presented Ganesh Versus The Third Reich by Back to Back Theatre.
In 2015, there were many exhibitions. These included Sydney Buddha by Zhang Huan and 24 Frames Per Second.
As mentioned, Carriageworks faced financial trouble in May 2020. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many arts places were struggling. But Carriageworks worked with its supporters. It successfully reopened in August 2020.
The National Exhibition
The National is a special art show that happens every two years. It features modern Australian artists. This exhibition is a team effort between three big art places: the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Carriageworks, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The first one was in 2017.
Artists and Companies at Carriageworks
Many famous Australian artists have worked in the studios at Carriageworks. These include Tony Albert and Nell.
Several arts groups also have their home at Carriageworks. They all work in modern arts. These groups include:
- Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
- Erth
- Sydney Chamber Opera
- Force Majeure
- Performance Space
- Moogahlin
- Felix Media
- Marrugeku
Erth
Erth has been making visual theatre since the 1990s. They create shows using puppetry. Their work is inspired by nature, Indigenous Australian stories, and city legends. They are known for shows like Erth’s Dinosaur Zoo.
Felix Media
Felix Media is a film company started by John Maynard and Bridget Ikin. They create unique film works.
Force Majeure
Force Majeure creates dance theatre. This mixes dance with storytelling. They also help train new artists through their INCITE program.
Moogahlin Performing Arts
Moogahlin Performing Arts is an Aboriginal theatre company. It was started in Redfern, Sydney in 2007. They work with both new and experienced Aboriginal theatre artists. In 2012, they performed a reading of The Cake Man, a play from 1975.
Performance Space
Performance Space helps create and show interdisciplinary arts. This means art that mixes different forms, like dance, music, and visual art. They also support experimental theatre.
Sydney Chamber Opera
The Sydney Chamber Opera started in 2010. They are known for their new and exciting opera shows.
Marrugeku
Marrugeku is a dance company. It brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. They create new dance performances. They work from both Broome and Carriageworks.
In 2022, Marrugeku released a music video called "This Is Australia". It's a new version of the song "This Is America". The song talks about important issues in Australia.
Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) creates theatre works by Asian Australian artists. They used to be called Performance 4A.
Carriageworks Farmers Market
The Carriageworks Farmers Market is held every week. It has over seventy regular sellers. They offer fresh, local produce. This includes organic and biodynamic foods. The market started in 2009. It is held in the old blacksmith's workshop. Before the pandemic, about 5,000 people visited the market each weekend.
Exhibitions at Carriageworks
In late 2016, Carriageworks hosted an exhibition. It celebrated 40 years of NAISDA Dance College. The show was called Naya Wa Yugali (which means "We Dance"). It featured stories, photos, films, and art. Works by artists like Tracey Moffatt and Michael Riley were included.
