Cultural Plan 2013-2016 final.pdf - Coffs Harbour City Council ...

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As adopted by Council on 28 February 2013 The seats ticketed, either complementary (free) or paid were; Number of tickets issued (% of capacity) No. of performances 1 – 62 (up to 25%) 25 63 – 125 (26 – 50%) 48 126 – 187 (51% - 75%) 38 188 – 250 (76% - 100%) 30 TOTAL 141 The Jetty Theatre has a capacity of 250 seats. Of 141 performances, seven were ticketed at 240 or more. This means that the theatre was at or near the capacity of the theatre for 5% of all performances. The topic of a large scale theatre or concert hall in Coffs Harbour has arisen frequently during community consultations and indeed has been advocated by a large proportion of those consulted. Such a theatre would seat between 600 and 1000 depending on the aspirations of the person concerned. Although as a long-term vision this is appealing, on investigation there is not a strong argument for the construction of such a facility in Coffs Harbour in the next three years. A report to Coffs Harbour City Council, 9 February 2012, outlined the capital and annual costs associated with a large scale performing arts facility. The report compared the construction costs, expenditure and income related to the Glasshouse Arts, Conference and Entertainment Centre (the Glasshouse) at Port Macquarie, and performing arts centres at Dubbo and Shoalhaven. A large theatre is likely to cost in the order of $20 - 25 million and would have annual operating costs (expenditure minus income) of between $1.1 million to $2 million plus depreciation. While the desire for the prominent expression of the cultural life of the city through a large facility is understandable, it is important not to confuse that desire with the comparatively restricted scope of what such a building could achieve for the community as a whole. It is also important to realize that it is possible to acknowledge the importance of culture to the region in other visible ways, including those less expensive initiatives proposed in the Visual Arts section above. Page 38
As adopted by Council on 28 February 2013 In terms of benefits to the community of Coffs Harbour, community and professional performing arts offer similar but differing opportunities. Community-based performing arts offer: the expression of the creativity and skill of the members of the local community, including young performers; the development of often long term and productive social relationships through the achievement of a project with a group of likeminded people; and entertainment to audience members. Professional performing arts offer: opportunities for the community as audience members to view shows from elsewhere in the country, to view highly developed skills and perspectives from people who have chosen to commit their careers to excellence in performing arts; and opportunities for the community to receive insight and skills development through workshops, performance discussions led by directors and performers and advanced classes. These sectors neither individually nor together currently offer a compelling case for the scale of investment required for a new theatre within the resource constraints of the Coffs Harbour community. 8.3.1 Community theatre The local theatre groups predominantly use the Jetty Memorial Theatre to perform a wide range of theatre from musicals to drama and comedy. While they would enjoy expanded facilities, the local community theatre groups do not pay for the use of the Jetty Theatre facilities at a commercial rate. There is no evidence that local community theatre groups would be able to afford the hire, and access to specialist staff, for a full scale theatre of 600 seats plus (i.e. over twice the size of the Jetty Memorial Theatre at 250 seats). There is also no evidence that the audience for community theatre would be able to fill a larger venue. In 2011, the average number of tickets issued for the most attended community theatre shows at the Jetty Memorial Theatre was 168. 19 19 The King and I, 17 performances and The Invisible Woman, 8 performances. Page 39
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Cultural Plan 2013-2016 final.pdf - Coffs Harbour City Council ...

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