Hanna Moore

This month the Ku-ring-gai council will vote on the future of Killara’s Marian Street Theatre in drawing closer to the December 2018 deadline of a three year funding lifeline initially provided from the council.

The vote will determine whether the council will commit to re-opening the Theatre and whether funding for renovations and ongoing future maintenance can be guaranteed.

After significant efforts in raising awareness for their cause since the Theatre’s closure in 2013 due to “safety concerns”, the Save Marian Street Theatre committee (SMST) will be putting forward their business plan for the future of the community asset at the meeting.

The plan, curated by Dianne Yerbury – a SMST committee member and former Vice-Chancellor of Macquarie University, is a seamlessly integrated, community-focussed and diverse multi-arts venue designed promote community engagement both from within and outside Ku-ring-gai.

The business plan emphasises opportunities for arts education spanning from early-childhood to tertiary students. As an area renowned for its educational prospects, it seems an enticing enterprise for Sydney’s North Shore.

The planned education activities include the provision of art-related school programs developed in consultation with primary and secondary schools to allow students the opportunity to develop skills and confidence to perform.

For tertiary students studying performing and visual arts, the plan boasts an opportunity for professional internships, workshops and casual work with further opportunity for exposure, collaboration and mentoring.

For those in early-childhood education, there will be opportunity to learn through interactive play in a ‘Creative Learning Centre’ that will utilise space in Selkirk park adjacent to the Theatre. This will also provide opportunities for students in nearby Macquarie University’s early-childhood education courses for workplace experience.

Architect’s vision for the Marian Street Theatre as seen from Selkirk Park.


Along with the envisioned future of arts education, the committee is currently working on a Cultural Needs Assessment, that will be periodically updated in future years to ensure its relevance, to draw upon the way in which the Theatre can provide programs that offer cultural diversity.

According to Dianne, this will ultimately indicate how exposure to a variety of cultures across all educational and age levels can break down barriers and help build social cohesion.

Architect’s vision as seen from Marian Street, located walking-distance from Killara station.


Further, the business plan includes provisions drawn from community feedback that strongly indicates the importance of a venue-specific catering hub for community development.

As discussed earlier this year in regards to the Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai PCYC, the importance of a ‘meeting place’ in the form of a restaurant or café has proven to be hugely valuable for community centres.

These hubs provide a space for greater community interaction regardless of the venue’s typical demographic. For example, the Hornsby/Ku-ring-gai PCYC is typically a sporting venue, but the inclusion of a café broke down the barrier that it was entirely exclusive to that cause.

As such, the inclusion of a catering hub contracted out to professional providers at the Theatre would also allow, for example, parents and carers of the early and primary education students time to enjoy the company of others while staying close to the children.

These points made in the proposed business plan make light of small section of what it quite a significant feat of future community development, and at this stage it is still a feat. With estimated refurbishment costs of up to $6.5 million depending on the level of upgrade, and a ticking clock on how long this issue can be put off until the venue succumbs to degradation, the upcoming vote will be a key turning point for the future of this iconic piece of local history.

To attend the council vote on March 27 at 7pm, learn how to lobby your local councillor or for more information about how you can help the Save Marian Street Theatre committee, head to savemariansttheatre.com.