Walsh Bay Arts Precinct opens to public showcasing redeveloped Pier 2/3

The Walsh Bay Arts Precinct - a cultural precinct on Sydney Harbour foreshore presenting a diverse program of theatre, music and art - has opened to the public following the completion of major redevelopment works on the historically significant Pier 2/3.

The Precinct is home to nine of the nation’s foremost performing arts companies presenting a vibrant program of musical concerts, theatre performances and public events throughout 2022.

Walsh Bay Arts Precinct’s resident companies comprise Bangarra Dance Theatre, Gondwana Choirs, Sydney Dance Company, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, Sydney Theatre Company and The Song Company, all located at Wharf 4/5 and at Pier 2/3, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Australian Theatre for Young People and Bell Shakespeare.

Sally Noonan, Precinct Manager of Walsh Bay Arts Precinct notes “with the completion of works on both Wharf 4/5 and Pier 2/3, Walsh Bay Arts Precinct is now open to the public as Australia’s newest cultural precinct with a truly unique heritage and location. Walsh Bay Arts Precinct is a place of culture and creation that is now being brought to life with performances and workshops by the nine resident companies who call it home, as well as with the presentations of the Biennale of Sydney and Vivid Sydney this Autumn.”

This Autumn, the newly refurbished 1,800 square metre Pier 2/3 event and commercial space has been launched with the internationally renowned art exhibition, the 23rd Biennale of Sydney, titled rīvus, which returns to Pier 2/3 for the first time in 10 years. The exhibition at Pier 2/3, running until 13th June 2022, features 20 commissioned artworks by leading Australian and international artists who have responded to the theme of “briny” environments, where saltwater meets freshwater.

The waters of Walsh Bay Arts Precinct will also be activated for Vivid Sydney from 27th May – 18th June, as it comes alive with a 100 metre floating Light Walk, a first in Vivid’s 12 year history. Incorporating the large-scale artwork Ephemeral Oceanic, produced by Sydney-based Atelier Sisu, visitors are invited to walk under more than 200 giant, bubble-like spheres hovering eight metres in the air.

Located on the traditional lands of the Gadigal people, Walsh Bay has been a place of gathering for thousands of years. Former wool stores built between 1913 and 1920, Wharf 4/5 and Pier 2/3 are an integral part of Sydney’s history and now feature a heritage-sensitive design by Tonkin Zulaikha Greer Architects, undertaken by Richard Crookes Construction. As the northern most operational pier at Walsh Bay, Pier 2/3 was a key ‘open berth’ location for passenger ships and following the Second World War, the wharf functioned as a migrant arrival point for new families starting their lives in New South Wales.

Public programming highlights presented by the resident companies during Autumn include:

• In April, Bell Shakespeare and Australian Theatre for Young People will present the first performances in their new theatre spaces at Pier 2/3.

• Bell Shakespeare’s In A Nutshell will be presented in the company’s intimate new theatre The Neilson Nutshell with an ensemble cast exploring the best loved-moments in Shakespeare from 22nd – 24th April.

• The Australian Theatre for Young People will unveil their new Australian musical The Deb playing at The Rebel Theatre from 8th April – 22nd May.

• The Australian Chamber Orchestra celebrates its new home with an Opening Festival from 29th April – 1st May. Presented over three days, the program features thrilling live concerts, stimulating talks, family shows and digital live streams as well as collaborations with special guests including William Barton, Jimmy Barnes and Jane Campion. Visitors will be able to experience the ACO’s new spaces at Pier 2/3, including the Orchestra’s new concert hall The Neilson, which in the coming months will host a series of intimate performances including an ACO Up Close concert with Principal Cello Timo-Veikko Valve on 29th May.

• On 1st May, The Song Company will present UNDERGROUND: Tremors of Earth in the ACO’s new performance space The Neilson.

• At Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf Theatres, White Pearl, a co-production with Riverside’s National Theatre of Parramatta runs until 23rd April, followed by a new production of Meyne Wyatt’s acclaimed play City of Gold from 7th May – 11th June.

• On Saturday 21st May, Gondwana Choirs presents Chorister for a Day inviting any child who likes to sing to join the Sydney Children’s Choir rehearsals in the Choirs Studio; and on Sunday 19th June performing choirs will present two concerts in the ACO’s new performance space The Neilson.

• Sydney Dance Company and Australian Theatre for Young People present an extensive series of classes and workshops in the Wharf Studio and Rebel Theatre.

Further highlights are listed in the notes to editors and for more information on Walsh Bay Arts Precinct visit: projects-nsw/walsh-bay-arts-and-cultural-precinct/

Images from top: ACO new performance space The Neilson; ATYP new performance space The Rebel Theatre; Redeveloped Pier 2/3 at Walsh Bay Arts Precinct. All images credit: Brett Boardman