New centre will 'transform' Australian Ballet

A NEW national production facility for the Australian Ballet will be built in Melbourne's southwest.

Simon Crean

A NEW national production facility for the Australian Ballet will be built in Melbourne's southwest following the announcement yesterday of a $2 million donation from the federal government.

Arts Minister Simon Crean said a new facility to be built in the Melbourne suburb of Altona would cater for the creation, maintenance and storage of props and scenery for the company, which has a 90-ballet repertoire and sets of costumes worth  $40 million.

"The custom-designed centre will ensure these valuable assets are preserved so that ballets can be restaged and enjoyed by future audiences,'' Crean says. "The centre will transform the way the Australian Ballet undertakes production work.''

The centre would also operate as an education resource. The announcement comes on the eve of Let's Dance, the collaborative dance season in Melbourne celebrating the Australian Ballet's 50th anniversary.

The 10,000sq m centre, which will include a 12m-high scenery assembly area, loading docks and a virtual design studio, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.