Carriageworks facts for kids
Carriageworks' Public Space
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| Established | 2007 |
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| Location | Redfern, 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 big arts center in Redfern, Sydney, Australia. It's a place where you can see all kinds of contemporary art and performing arts. This includes dance, music, theater, and visual art.
It's also used for filming, festivals, and other events. Carriageworks is the largest center of its kind in Australia. It gets support from the New South Wales and Australian governments. Many Australian and international artists have shown their work here. It's also home to several theater and dance groups. Plus, there's a popular weekly farmers' market!
In May 2020, Carriageworks had to close for a short time. This was because of the rules about events during the COVID-19 pandemic. But it reopened in August 2020 and is now back to sharing amazing art with everyone.
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History of Carriageworks
Carriageworks is located in a very old building. It used to be part of the Eveleigh Rail Complex. This complex was built between 1880 and 1889. The part Carriageworks uses was called the Eveleigh Carriage Workshops.
These workshops were very important for Australia's railway history. They built and fixed carriages for Sydney's growing train network. Special carriages were made here, like one for the Governor General. The first electric train carriage and the first air-conditioned train in Australia were also built here.
Over time, the workshops became less efficient. They closed down in 1988.
In 2002, the New South Wales government bought the old workshops. They wanted to turn them into an arts center. Work began in 2003 to change the building. Carriageworks officially opened its doors in 2007. The architects who redesigned the building won awards for their work.
In 2013, Carriageworks became even bigger. It added 5,000 square meters of space. That year, it hosted cool events like Ryoji Ikeda's Test pattern (No 5) and Australian Fashion Week.
In 2014, Carriageworks showed Chance by Christian Boltanski. They also featured Ganesh Versus The Third Reich by Back to Back Theatre.
In 2015, there were more exciting exhibitions. These included Sydney Buddha by Zhang Huan. Another was 24 Frames Per Second, showing screen-based art.
As mentioned, in May 2020, Carriageworks had to close temporarily. This was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and event bans. Many people worried about its future. However, Carriageworks worked hard to get back on its feet. It successfully reopened to the public in August 2020.
What is Carriageworks Today?
Carriageworks is Australia's largest center for many different art forms. It gets money from the New South Wales and federal governments.
Its goal is to be a cultural place that connects with and inspires Sydney's diverse communities. It offers a wide range of programs. These programs include theater, dance, visual arts, music, film, and fashion. In 2017, about 1.32 million people visited Carriageworks.
The center asks Australian and international artists to create new, big artworks. These artworks often explore modern ideas. Carriageworks tries to show the diversity of the community in its shows. It hosts up to 100 projects each year.
How Carriageworks is Managed
Carriageworks is run by a company called Carriageworks Ltd. This company also manages extra spaces that can be rented. The property itself is owned by the New South Wales government.
As of September 2021, a board of eight members helps guide Carriageworks. Blair French became the CEO in 2019.
Lisa Havilah was the Director from 2012 to 2018. She helped Carriageworks grow into a major arts venue. She created partnerships with big events like Sydney Festival and Vivid Sydney. Under her leadership, visitor numbers grew a lot, from 110,000 in 2010 to 1.32 million in 2017.
Funding for Carriageworks
Carriageworks gets money from different places. This includes government grants and donations. It also earns money from selling goods and services.
Between 2012 and 2018, Carriageworks made a profit in only one year. In 2018, it received about $3.8 million in government grants. The rest of its $7.8 million income came from other sources. This way of getting money works well when times are good. However, it can be challenging during a crisis.
The National Art Exhibition
The National is a special art show that happens every two years. It features contemporary artists from Australia. This exhibition is a team effort between three major art places: the Art Gallery of New South Wales, Carriageworks, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia. The first show was held in 2017.
Artists and Resident Companies
Many famous Australian artists have worked in the studio spaces at Carriageworks. These include Tony Albert and Nell.
Carriageworks is also home to several art groups. These groups work in different areas of contemporary arts. They include:
Erth
Erth has been creating visual theater since the 1990s. They are known for their puppetry shows and community projects. Their work is inspired by natural history and Indigenous Australian stories. They have popular 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 projects. Their works include Coral and multi-screen pieces by Angelica Mesiti.
Force Majeure
Force Majeure creates dance theater. This means they combine dance with storytelling. They also help train new artists through their INCITE program.
Moogahlin Performing Arts
Moogahlin Performing Arts is an Aboriginal theater company. It was started in Redfern in 2007. They work closely with Aboriginal theater artists and communities. In 2012, they performed a reading of the play The Cake Man.
Performance Space
Performance Space is an organization that supports new and experimental art. They focus on art that combines different forms, like theater and visual art. It was started in 1983.
Sydney Chamber Opera
Sydney Chamber Opera was founded in 2010. They are known for their creative shows and strong musical performances. They focus on making exciting theater.
Marrugeku
Marrugeku is a dance company that brings together Indigenous and non-Indigenous artists. They create new dance performances. They work from both Broome and Carriageworks.
Between 2015 and 2018, their show Cut The Sky toured around the world. This play mixed music, poetry, dance, and visual media. In 2022, Marrugeku released a music video called "This Is Australia." It was a remake of a popular song. Their show Jurrungu Ngan-ga is scheduled to be performed at the Adelaide Festival in March 2023.
Contemporary Asian Australian Performance
Contemporary Asian Australian Performance (CAAP) creates theater works by Asian Australian artists. They explore different art forms. The company has been around since 1997.
Carriageworks Farmers Market
The Carriageworks Farmers Market is a weekly market. It has over seventy regular sellers. You can find fresh, seasonal produce here. This includes organic and biodynamic foods. These foods come from farmers and producers in New South Wales.
The market has been running since February 28, 2009. It is held in the specially renovated blacksmith's workshop. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 5,000 people visited the market every weekend.
Exhibitions
In late 2016, Carriageworks hosted an exhibition. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of NAISDA Dance College. The exhibition was called Naya Wa Yugali, which means "We Dance." It featured stories, photos, films, and artwork.
