Performance Space is where exciting futures for Australian contemporary arts and artists are forged. Our mission is for artistic excellence and innovation to inspire, captivate and create audiences.
Founded in 1983, we are Australia’s leading agency for interdisciplinary arts, producing and presenting new artistic experiences across a multiplicity of sites, locations and venues.
Our program is made up of presentations both at Carriageworks and in spaces around Sydney and beyond. We also offer development and artform advancement opportunities to artists, often in partnership with other organisations.
Performance Space is interested in work that takes creative risks, experiments with artforms and creates transformative and captivating new experiences for audiences. In particular, we’re very excited about site-specific work, socially engaged practice, culturally diverse projects, works that incorporate emerging technology, and new performance by queer artists. You’ll see all of this reflected in what we present.
We underpin the work we do through the following values:
Advancing the contemporary
Embracing risk
Challenging the normative
Innovating processes
Bringing diversity
Giving respect
Ensuring sustainability
Performance Space is supported by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body; the New South Wales Government through Arts NSW; and the Visual Arts and Craft Strategy, an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments.
Performance Space is a resident company at Carriageworks, Sydney’s home for contemporary arts. Performance Space is a member of Contemporary Art Organisations of Australia (CAOS) and Mobile States, Touring Contemporary Performance Australia.