The Metro Arts Centre has been a cornerstone of Brisbane’s creative scene since the 1980s, always pushing the boundaries of what art can do and where it can take us. Within this five-story heritage building, local artists are enabled and supported in their pursuit of creation; here they can take risks, experiment, develop their ideas and projects, and present them to the public in a wide range of media and spaces. Let’s take a look inside this magical space where art and community collide.
The Building
The Metro Arts Centre is housed in a highly storied heritage-listed building. This timber and brick structure, standing proud at 109-117 Edward Street, started its life as a warehouse in the 1890s, when it was home to a series of manufacturing agents and importers. After World War Two, it was acquired by the Australian Government and used as office space for various government departments, but by 1976 they had all moved to grander, more suitable quarters. This freed up the building to evolve into its current incarnation: work began immediately to convert into a community arts centre, which opened officially in 1981.
The Spaces
Today, this building steeped in history provides artists with workspaces, show spaces, and rooms for rehearsals, classes, workshops, and seminars, as well as accommodating a variety of artistic media. The rooms can be rented out at reasonable prices for any creative pursuits you can think of which are in line with the centre’s value and priorities.
The Carriageway
The carriageway is a graffiti-filled underpass with a funky urban-grit vibe, ideal for events, photos or video shoots.
Studios
Studios in a range of sizes are available for creative practitioners to work in autonomously, surrounded by like-minded individuals in a cohesive community environment.
Level 2 Gallery
This timber-floored venue can hold up to 160 patrons and is home to Metro Arts’ Exhibition Programme. It’s also ideal for any events where mingling and perusing are encouraged.
Basement
The timber floors and red-brick walls of the basement give this open plan space a distinctly industrial vibe. With its capacity for up to 40 people, it provides a more intimate space for a wide variety of events.
Sue Benner Theatre
With 97 seats, this intimate theatrical venue is an ideal platform for live performances.
Whitlam Space
Large, flooded with natural light, and flanked with mirrored walls, this room is perfect for classes and workshops of any kind, from burlesque to painting, through photography and filmography.
Level 4 Warehouse
Similar to Whitlam but without the mirrors, this space is perfect for workshops, exhibitions, and classes.
Lumen Room
This converted cinema room can hold up to 115 people and is ideal for both film screenings and live events.
You can visit the Metro Arts Centre anytime, and gain insightful glimpses into the artistic process, community building, and a world where the only limit is your imagination.
Events
With its wide range of spaces, the Metro Arts Centre is host to a diverse cohort of activities, from theatrical productions, music, and cabaret performances to art and dance classes, workshops, and exhibitions. Some upcoming features include
Kill Climate Deniers – 15-25 May
A provocative and controversial examination of the climate change debate, this meta-film looks at the crisis from the fictional point of view of a group of eco-terrorists, and through the lens of the director’s own struggles with conservative media.
Magpie – 29 May-8 June
A coming-of-age play that explores family relationships and the nature of success.
Life on Earth – 5-15 June
A mixed-media exploration of the artist’s perspective on climate change and humanity’s impact on biodiversity.
We Koppel, We Dala – 26 June – 18 July
A South-African perspective on authenticity, identity, and self-representation, reminding us of how Apartheid’s legacy lives on worldwide.
Love and Information – 31 July-10 August
This play in 58 scenes matter-of-factly and empathetically examines how we distil information and meaning from our surroundings and interactions in our search for love and understanding.
For more information, check out their programme and rates at https://metroarts.com.au/whats-on/.