New direction for Concert Hall
The Perth Concert Hall will have "fresh life" blown into it under a management plan approved by City of Perth last night.
The State-run Perth Theatre Trust and the WA Symphony Orchestra have joined forces in a bid to run the cultural landmark on behalf of the city for the next 20 years.
Lord Mayor Lisa Scaffidi welcomed what she said was a "bold view" for the future of the hall.
Cr Reece Harley said he believed the plan would "encourage some new fresh life to be blown into" the building and surrounding area.
Confidentiality clauses mean PTT-WASO's plans were not spelt out but they will focus on programming diversity, income generation and ways to activate the venue's uninviting public space.
A rival bid from AEG Ogden, which is contracted to run the Concert Hall until the end of this year, was overlooked.
Central to the PTT-WASO plan is the much-delayed relocation of the orchestra's headquarters to the Concert Hall from its offices in Hay Street.
The council has previously committed $4 million to help pay for such a move.
The 1973 building also needs an injection of more than $10 million to fix structural, maintenance and safety issues, which the council is responsible for as the owner.
The PTT-WASO proposal committed the State to partner with the city to fund these works.
The council's finance and administration committee said the proposal offered the best outcome from a financial and a long-term outlook. It recommended that the council maintain its $215,000 operating subsidy and work with the State to clarify funding issues and develop a shared vision for the precinct.
The current lease deal ends on December 31.
The State Government announced in April that it would buck the privatisation trend of recent decades to reclaim direct management of Perth's major State-owned theatres after 15 years under private contractor AEG Ogden.
