Q Theatre Celebrates a Milestone Fifth Birthday

Q Theatre Celebrates a Milestone Fifth Birthday

On Friday 2nd September the public of Auckland are invited to celebrate five years of Q Theatre’s success at the centre of Auckland’s burgeoning arts precinct. What started as a hopeful vision has seen Q Theatre cement itself as a cornerstone venue with audiences flocking, artists being nurtured, and everyone enjoying a drink at Q’s lively bar.

On the 8th of September 2011 Q Theatre opened its doors for the first time to two local companies. It was a momentous day for Auckland’s performing arts industry and a huge achievement which had been the dogged focus of many practitioners since the New Theatre Initiative was formed by a group of key performing arts practitioners in 1998.

An energetic and sustainable venue, Q Theatre’s flexible spaces, strong partnerships and savvy business thinking has seen the venue play a key role in Auckland’s cultural landscape. It has also been the home to creative socialites and the incubator of great live storytelling.

Many highly lauded performers and creatives have worked in the venue over the last half decade including Lucy Lawless, Rhys Darby, Dai Henwood, Robyn Malcolm, Siobhan Marshall, Don McGlashan, Trelise Cooper, Julia Deans, Jacob Rajan, Stephen Lovatt, Jennifer Ward-Lealand, Amanda Billing, Scribe, Sam Hunt and Michael Hurst along with fast growing names like JJ Fong, Todd Emerson, Dan Musgrove, Colleen (Coco) Davis, Andrew Keoghan, Rose Matafeo and many more. Q Theatre has featured works from visual artists Marti Friedlander, John McDermott, and Lisa Reihana and hosted many live bands in Q’s Barfoot & Thompson Lounge.

Q Theatre is at the heart of the arts precinct in Auckland and acts as a hub of creativity and collaboration. Our purpose is to keep that heart pumping in everything we do. We enthusiastically support artists to connect with audiences, to create fantastic arts experiences in our city.
-James Wilson, Q Theatre Chief Executive

Q Theatre’s annual programme sees them working with over 60 different arts companies every year. In 2016 so far 63 arts companies have used space at Q Theatre, with the 2017 calendar already heavily booked. In 2015 Q Theatre’s spaces were home to 577 performances - with a ticketed attendance of 89,328 – an increase of 7,300 from the previous year.

Q Theatre hosts shows and events from many of Auckland’s biggest festivals including the NZ International Comedy Festival, the Tempo Dance Festival, the Documentary Edge Film Festival and the Auckland Fringe Festival. These events are complemented by a wide range of regular hirers, including Auckland Theatre Company, Silo Theatre, Indian Ink, New Zealand Dance Company, NZTrio.

Citizen Q is Queen Street’s largest social profit restaurant, bar and café, with profit generated going directly back to the arts. Taking an intelligent business minded approach, Q Theatre generates 87.5% of their revenue through venue hire, sponsorship, in-house ticketing, hospitality and commercial hire, allowing them to be more self-sufficient. Auckland Council are a core partner and supporter of the theatre.

As an independent venue, Q Theatre is able to play a leadership role in audience development, encouraging companies to work collaboratively to grow audiences together. Q Theatre also provides emerging companies the opportunity to develop and perform their work through the Matchbox development programme.

For more on Q Theatre head to www.qtheatre.co.nz

Q Theatre Fifth Birthday Party
Friday 2nd September, 7.30pm
Q Theatre, Barfoot & Thompson Lounge
305 Queen St, Auckland

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