Type Theatre Capacity 300 | Opened October 2001 Phone +61 7 3872 9000 | |
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Location Brisbane, Queensland, Australia Genre(s) music, contemporary dance, circus, cabaret, art exhibitions Built originally Bushells Tea Company Address 420 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006, Australia Hours Closed now Wednesday9AM–4PMThursday9AM–4PMFriday9AM–4PMSaturdayClosedSundayClosedMonday9AM–4PMTuesday9AM–4PM Similar Brisbane Powerhouse, International Convention Centre Sy, Queensland Performing Arts Centre, Brisbane Arts Theatre, Metro Arts Theatre Profiles | ||
The Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane, Queensland. The venue was renovated and re-opened as an arts centre in October 2001. The Centre is named after Judith Wright, who was a celebrated Queensland poet and an advocate for Indigenous rights and an environmental activist. Wright was one of two Australian poets considered for the Nobel Prize for Literature. She died June 25, 2000 in Canberra.
The Centre is managed by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland. Affectionately called The Judy, is located at corner Berwick Street and 420 Brunswick Street in Fortitude Valley.
The venue includes performance spaces that are well equipped for lighting, sound and AV and the three rehearsal studios for dance, theatre and music feature natural light. The audience experience is intimate with a relaxed welcoming style of cabaret and racked seating. The main performance space is a black box style with plenty of flexibility to stage a diverse range of performances. Further info at The venue encompasses to adjacent buildings, one two-story and the other five-story. The larger structure was originally a factory for Bushell's tea. Redevelopment of the site was designed by COX Architects & Planners and built by Multiplex Constructions.
The Centre is home to some of Queensland's top arts and cultural organisations. Its facilities include a 300-seat performance space, rehearsal spaces for theatre, music, dance and circus, an art gallery, artist studios, coffee shop, bar and restaurant. It is home to a number of organisations including Ausdance Queensland, Carbon Media, contemporary circus Circa, contemporary dance company Expressions Dance Company, Flying Arts alliance Inc., The Institute of Modern Art, Qld branch of Matchbox Pictures and Ultra Linea Architects.
Each year, the venue hosts the Queensland Poetry Festival. The premier event for contemporary music BIGSOUND is held annually in September bringing together about 120 top emerging bands and national and international music buyers for a conference that attracts speakers including Peter Garrett, Nick Cave, Claire Bowdich and more.