Canberra Theatre Center, Canberra

The Canberra Theatre Center is the Australian Capital Territory’s central performing arts venue and Australia’s first performing arts center, the first Australian Government initiated performing arts center to be completed, that opened on Thursday 24 June 1965 with a gala performance by the Australian Ballet. The Center is sited in the heart of Canberra's City Center, beside the ACT Legislative Assembly and backing onto City Hill, one of the apexes of the Parliamentary Triangle. Originally the complex was two separate buildings: the Canberra Theatre and the The Playhouse, which were linked by a covered walkway. The Canberra Theatre was built as a 1200 seat lyric theater to house national and international touring companies; The Playhouse had 310 seats and was designed for local arts companies and for smaller scale touring companies. The Playhouse also contained a small visual art gallery, a meeting room and a restaurant.