Sydney music venue receives multi-million dollar funding boost

The City of Sydney has confirmed $4.2 million in funding for the City Recital Hall, one of Sydney’s most celebrated live music venues as it prepares to mark its 20th anniversary. The City of Sydney will provide the funding over the next six financial years.

Located in the centre of Angel Place laneway, between George and Pitt Streets, City Recital Hall is a world-class performance space, loved by audiences and performers alike for its incomparable acoustics.

The funding will be used to further support core operations of the organisation as it continues to develop and diversify its programs and audiences, as well as renovate and modernise the venue and equipment to streamline its services and functionality. This will include improving the lighting and audio systems, furnishings and upgrading the IT infrastructure. The City will also support building upgrades to the greenrooms, flooring, bathrooms and bar area.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore advised: “The City of Sydney plays a unique role in shaping Sydney’s cultural life, by nurturing community-based and independent organisations to feed the seedbeds of culture, as well as supporting established institutions in our city.

“The City Recital Hall is one of Sydney’s most culturally significant concert halls, located in the heart of the city. As it approaches its 20th anniversary and continues to expand and diversify its programming, we are proud to increase our support for this vital cultural infrastructure.

“With the light rail coming online soon and a vibrant nightlife returning to the streets of our city centre, I know that the City Recital Hall will become a ‘must visit’ cultural destination for tourists and Sydneysiders alike – offering concerts and events across a range of art forms and music genres.” 

City Recital Hall opened on 30th October 1999 as a purpose built chamber music venue with a capacity of 1,238. 

It is the only venue of its kind in Sydney to host companies such as Musica Viva Australia, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Pinchgut Opera and Australian Brandenburg Orchestra.

In recent years, the venue has successfully branched out to include curated day and night-time programs as well as concerts, talks and activities for children and families. Over the last three years, the venue has increased its programming by 20%, hosting 273 events in 2018 that attracted 50% new audiences.

The City Recital Hall is Sydney’s first customised recital hall. Owned by AMP, the City holds a 99-year lease on the property.

Images: Dianne Reeves at Recital Hall (top, courtesy of Keith Saunders) and City Recital Hall exterior (below, courtesy of Alexander Mayes).