It’s no secret that Marrickville is a pretty hip hood – in our 2020 international survey of the planet’s coolest suburbs, it was ranked the tenth best in the world. Now, this trendy enclave is getting yet another feather in its proverbial cap, with the news that the heritage-listed Marrickville Town Hall is to be converted into a live music, performing arts and cultural centre. Plans for the major new performance venue in the heart of the Inner West were first put to a vote last year, and the development is now entering the final stage of its expressions-of-interest phase to finalise the conceptual and functional details for the space.
As well as creative arts organisations, the local council is also inviting proposals from local ethnic community groups, to ensure the building’s eventual use reflects the multicultural make-up of Marrickville. It’s hoped that, in conjunction with the Marrickville Library, opened in 2019, this new performance venue will cement the area as a creative and cultural hub that people from across the city travel to visit. “The Inner West is the birthplace of multicultural Australia,” mayor Darcy Byrne said. “By making Marrickville Town Hall a unique multicultural hub we can make sure this is a home for migrant community for many decades to come.”