Townsville School of Arts facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Townsville School of Arts |
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Townsville School of Arts, 2005
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| Location | Stanley Street, Townsville CBD, City of Townsville, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s–1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1891 |
| Architect | Eyre & Munro |
| Architectural style(s) | Classicism |
| Official name: Townsville School of Arts, Dance North, Townsville Arts Centre | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 21 October 1992 |
| Reference no. | 600925 |
| Significant period |
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| Significant components | School of Arts |
| Builders | James Smith |
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The Townsville School of Arts is a special old building in Townsville, Australia. It used to be a place where people could learn and borrow books, like a community center and library. Today, it's a busy cultural hub called the Townsville Arts Centre and is home to Dancenorth, a dance company. It was designed by Eyre & Munro and built in 1891. This historic building is protected because of its importance to Queensland's history.
Building a Place for Learning
The School of Arts building was designed by local architects Eyre and Munro. It was built by James Smith and opened in May 1891.
What Were Schools of Arts?
The first "Mechanic's Institutes" or "Schools of Arts" started in Britain in the early 1800s. They were created to help people learn and grow. They offered lectures, discussions, and libraries where people could borrow books. Back then, there were no free public libraries, and books were very expensive. So, these places were important for people to get access to books.
In Queensland, the first School of Arts committee began in Brisbane in 1849. Their goal was to help the community learn about literature, philosophy, and science. As towns grew, local groups set up their own Schools of Arts. These became key places for adult education. The government helped by providing land, money for books, and help with building costs. Most Schools of Arts also had a hall with a stage. This hall could be rented out for plays and concerts, which helped the arts and brought in money.
Townsville's Early School of Arts
The first School of Arts committee in Townsville met in 1866. It included important people like the town's founders, Captain Robert Towns and John Melton Black. Townsville was a very new town then, only two years old. It was a port and business center for the area north of the Burdekin.
The School of Arts started small, in a rented cottage with only 30 books. It soon moved to bigger places. In 1877, it got its first permanent home on Melton Hill. But as the town grew, the main business area moved west. By 1889, people thought the Melton Hill location was too far from the town center.
The New Building's Design
The Melton Hill property was sold to the Queensland Government. It was turned into a court building. A new spot was bought on the corner of Stanley and Walker Streets. A competition was held to design the new building, and Eyre & Munro won.
Walter Eyre was an architect, engineer, and surveyor. He trained in England and came to Brisbane in 1880. He worked for his cousin, FDG Stanley, until 1885. Then he became the City Engineer of Townsville. In 1887, he started his own architecture business and soon partnered with WHA Munro. Their firm designed many important buildings in North Queensland.
Their design for the School of Arts was built by James Smith. The new building opened in May 1891 with a big debutante ball and a concert.
Life at the School of Arts
The new building had meeting rooms and classrooms on the ground floor. A large library was upstairs. Classes were held in subjects like drawing, singing, and woodwork. In 1895, the first gas cooking classes in Townsville were held here!
Connected to the main building was a theatre, first called Her Majesty's. It could seat 600 people. This large space had a stage with dressing rooms on the sides. Many touring theatre groups and performers used it. A Chinese Opera company performed there in 1894. It was Townsville's main theatre until a new one opened in 1900. Even after that, it stayed popular. Famous singer Nellie Melba performed there in 1909.
Later, the theatre was renamed His Majesty's when King Edward VII became king. In 1907, it hosted the first Aboriginal stage performance in Townsville. Boxing matches were also held there.
Challenges and Changes
The building faced damage from cyclones. Cyclone Sigma hit in 1896, and Cyclone Leonta in 1903. The 1903 cyclone unroofed the offices and partly destroyed the theatre. Repairs were done in 1904. It became clear the theatre was too small. In 1913, the auditorium was made larger.
During the Great Depression, many Schools of Arts closed because the government stopped giving them money. The Townsville School of Arts stayed open until the 1930s. Some changes were made, like enclosing the verandahs and adding a small office building. New ways of learning and the Libraries Act of 1943, which created free public libraries, led to many Schools of Arts closing.
In 1938, the Townsville School of Arts trustees gave the building to the Townsville City Council. This made it the first free public lending library in Australia!
During World War II, in 1941, the building was used by the military. It became the main RAAF postal office for the Pacific region. After the war, it became offices for the Townsville Regional Electricity Board. They moved out in 1963, and another electricity authority used it until 1968. Then, the building was empty for a while.
A New Life as an Arts Centre
In the late 1960s, the Townsville Arts Centre Association was formed. In 1976, the building was greatly renovated. It became an arts center, used for the Pacific Festival and as a base for local theatre and a community radio station, 4TTT. It is also home to the North Queensland Ballet and Dance Co Ltd, known as Dance North. More work was done in the 1990s, including putting the upper verandah back.
Today, the building is known as the SOA (School of Arts) Theatre and is still home to Dancenorth.
What the Building Looks Like
The Townsville School of Arts building is on the corner of Stanley and Walker Streets. It has a two-story main building and a theatre building behind it.
Both buildings are made of exposed brick and have corrugated iron roofs. The main School of Arts building has two stories. On the Stanley Street side, it has brick columns that go up both stories, creating deep verandahs. The ground floor verandah has decorative iron railings and gates. The main entrance has double doors and windows. The top floor verandah has timber railings and is accessed by French doors.
The ground floor has offices, toilets, and a main foyer. A timber staircase leads from the foyer to the first floor. This floor is divided into two parts and is used for dance.
The small, single-story part at the corner of Stanley and Walker Streets is also brick and matches the main building. On the other side of the Stanley Street front, a brick arch leads to a passageway.
The theatre is a large rectangular building. It has an entrance on Walker Street. The back has big doors that were used to move stage scenery. Inside, there's a large auditorium with a timber floor and a stage with a basement underneath. On one side, a 1960s brick building was added for dressing rooms. On the other side, an extension runs the length of the building and houses the studios and offices of the 4TTT radio station.
Why This Place is Important
The Townsville School of Arts was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 21 October 1992. This means it's a very important historical site.
A Piece of Queensland's History
This building shows how Queensland's history developed. Schools of Arts were found in almost every important town in the 1800s and early 1900s. They showed how well a town was doing. The size and look of this building show how rich and important Townsville was as a regional center back then.
Schools of Arts were community places. They played a big role in education and social life. They shared information, provided places for talks and meetings, and hosted events like balls, plays, and concerts. They were a key step in the growth of adult education in Queensland.
A Great Example of Its Kind
This building is a good example of a School of Arts building in a major regional city. It originally had a library, meeting rooms, and a theatre. These facilities supported many different community and cultural events.
Beautiful and Important Design
The Townsville School of Arts is a well-designed and noticeable building. Its shape, size, materials, and location near the town center make it an important part of Townsville's look.
Strong Community Connection
The School of Arts building is important because of its strong connection to the people of Townsville and the surrounding area. It has been a central part of the town's social and community life for a long time.
Work of Important Architects
The Townsville School of Arts building is a major work by the North Queensland architectural firm of Eyre and Munro.
