NSW GOVERNMENT INVESTS $3.3M IN FLYING FRUIT FLY CIRCUS FACILITY
Today, the NSW Minister for the Arts, the Hon. Ben Franklin, announced a $3.3M investment from the NSW Government’s Creative Capital Fund in an exciting new creative space and studio theatre to be built in Albury-Wodonga. Set within the existing footprint of the current Flying Fruit Fly Circus (FFFC) site in South Albury, this new cultural infrastructure project represents the largest venture undertaken by the National Youth Circus since their training and administration facility was built in 2010.
The Borderville Theatre will be an extension to the FFFC’s current facility and designed for a close-up circus experience, reflecting the type of rooms many of their graduates work in as they begin their professional careers. But it is carefully designed for circus. It will have a flexible floor space of 24 x 10m, a height of 8m, and retractable seating for 100. It will be equipped with state-of-the-art rigging, lighting, sound and video systems. The project will be completed with two dressing rooms and a new workshop.
The Borderville Theatre will provide a space for artistic exploration and innovation with a clear purpose to support the development of new contemporary circus works.
This will be an important new learning space for the full-time students of the FFFC, where the technical and production elements of the artform can be taught and practiced. But it will also be a national asset for the circus and physical theatre sector, which continues to identify a gap in accessible, equipped and affordable spaces. With the addition of the Borderville Theatre the FFFC will become a connected hub for innovation, where an original idea can be explored, expanded, rehearsed, refined and performed, across multiple spaces under one roof. These original performance works will have a future life for festivals and event programming across the country.
The construction of the Borderville Theatre is a $4.1 million project, made possible by today’s announcement of a $3.3M investment from the NSW Creative Capital Fund. Further financial and in-kind support will come from the Flying Fruit Fly Circus, Albury City Council, Joss Construction and JWP Architects, valued in total at $600,000. It is due to be completed by November 2023.
“This is the next evolution of our company. In our 43 year history we’ve never had a permanent space in which to develop and show work with all the essential technical elements of our craft, so this is a significant milestone. But it’s not just about us, we are building a national asset for our circus and physical theatre sector. Our expanded facilities will have a positive economic impact for Albury-Wodonga, creating short-term and long-term employment, and be at the heart of our creative communities in both NSW and Victoria. It will contribute to our region’s growing reputation as a cultural hub and is a terrific vote of confidence in our company from the NSW government. We’re very grateful for their support.”
Richard Hull, CEO
“The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is the engine room of contemporary circus in Australia, training new generations of artists to innovate and develop their artform. A properly equipped creative space enhances our ability to support new, emerging and established artists in NSW, Victoria and beyond, ensuring that Australian contemporary circus continues to be the best in the world.”
Anni Davey, Artistic Director
We invite you to be part of the next stage of our evolution! The Flying Fruit Fly Circus is seeking to raise an additional $200,000 to complete the venue fit-out with new circus equipment. For a $100 donation, or $1,000 if you’re a local business, your name will forever be displayed on our Founders Wall in the entrance lobby of the Borderville Theatre. Immortality!
For more information about our fundraising for the Borderville Theatre, or to make a larger donation, please get in touch with Tahni Froudist, our Executive Producer, at tfroudist@fruitflycircus.com.au
Photo credit: Mark Jesser, The Border Mail
