For Alex Budd, Director of Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC), Australia’s first multi-venue performing arts centre is more than bricks and mortar – it’s a place deeply woven into the cultural fabric of the city.
Growing up in Canberra, Budd recalls, “The theatre made such an impression on me as a young person. I remember being taken by an uncle to a magic show … goldfish somehow appearing out of the seat in front of me; I remember how it smelled, walking back to the car – just being totally entranced by the magic of the stage.”
That sense of wonder, personal connection and civic pride permeates everything CTC is celebrating during its 60th anniversary year. Since opening in 1965, the Centre has hosted everyone from local dance schools to global stars like Billy Joel (he played there in 1973), and even royalty. “The night before the Queen [Elizabeth II] opened the Sydney Opera House, she attended a performance of Carmen by The Australian Ballet right here,” Budd says.
With a population just under 500,000, Canberra punches above its weight when it comes to arts participation. “We sell around 250,000 tickets a year. That’s more than half the town,” Budd says. “There are very few cities where the major theatre venue has that kind of reach.”
But what does ‘impact’ in the arts mean today? For Budd, it’s not just ticket sales, but that collective memory, which turns into meaningful engagement. “We saw over 5000 people come through the doors during our recent open day,” says Budd, “Many shared stories about seeing their first show, or dancing on stage as a child. That’s the kind of legacy we want to build on.”
One of Budd’s ongoing ambitions is to reverse the capital’s long-standing trend of “exporting artists and importing the art”. Since 2021, CTC has commissioned and developed new works with local companies like Canberra Youth Theatre and Heart Strings Theatre Co, and co-produced Julia with Sydney Theatre Company. “If we’re the nation’s capital, then we should be telling stories from here,” says Budd.
That local impact will only grow with CTC’s new lyric theatre – its most significant upgrade in over 40 years. “We’re finally getting a venue that can host the big productions that Canberrans currently have to travel interstate for,” he explains, “and that instantly makes those large-scale works far more accessible.”
And if you’ve never set foot in the Centre before? Budd has a challenge for you: “If you can’t find something that piques your interest on our website, buy a ticket to anything and I can guarantee you’ll have a good time.”
That’s the kind of confidence CTC has in its range of offerings and the reason why people keep coming back.
Check out what’s on at the Canberra Theatre Centre.
