Good news for Carriageworks with Don Harwin, the newly reinstated NSW Minister for the Arts, announcing that Create NSW, a state government agency, has agreed to give Carriageworks Ltd a 10-year lease at the former railway yards site at Eveleigh in inner Sydney, and committed to a five-year funding agreement with the arts organisation.
Carriageworks had entered into voluntary administration in early May 2020, citing loss of revenue due to Covid-19. Later the same month, a group of philanthropists offered to help bailout the beleaguered arts institution, contingent on a long-term lease agreement with the NSW government. Harwin’s recent announcement removes this stumbling block and in his statement he acknowledged the generosity of these private sector donors.
“We are delighted with this outcome. We would like to thank the wonderful donors Geoff Ainsworth and wife Johanna Featherstone, Kerr Neilson, Michael Gonski and The Packer Family Foundation who have so generously contributed to the continuing future of Carriageworks,” NSW Minister for the Arts said.
Carriageworks currently hosts multiple arts companies including: Contemporary Asian Australian Performance, Erth, Felix Media, Force Majeure, Marrugeku, Moogahlin Performing Arts, Performance Space, and Sydney Chamber Opera. “At the heart of it, we are excited for the resident companies of Carriageworks who will also greatly benefit from this announcement,” Harwin said.
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