The Newtown Precinct
The Newtown Precinct has the highest concentration of independent theatres and live performance spaces in Sydney.
Sydneys Bohemian Centrepiece
The heartland of Sydney's vibrant bohemian culture, the Newtown Precinct is an eclectic mix of alternative cultures, ethnicity, sexuality and lifestyles. The precinct provides a fascinating haven for the great diversity of its inhabitants: from academic professionals and students of the neighboring colleges and universities to the punks, poets and artists, alongside original post war European immigrants. The precinct's spirit of acceptance and tolerance has produced a unique culture in Sydney and created a diverse street life of these myriad cultures. This unique atmosphere has become a magnet for visitors, tourists and other Sydney-siders.
The Newtown precinct is centered on famous King Street, part of a thoroughfare which stretches from Broadway to St Peters. This streetscape, listed on the Register of the National Estate is perhaps Sydney's largest and best example of 19th century commercial street architecture and includes a vast array of styles from high Victorian gothic, Queen Anne revival and Italianate. This colonnade of buildings now houses Newtown's restaurants, cafes, bars, hotels, retail stores, fashion designers, bookshops and food shops. The St Peters end of King St is renowned for its quirky specialist shops.
Entertainment-Theatre
There are seven major independent theatres in the Newtown precinct from the intimate Edge Theatre to the 2,200-seat art-deco Enmore Theatre and its eclectic productions, to the performing arts complex, the Seymour Theatre Centre, to the New Theatre, the oldest continuing theatre company in Australia. The precinct is a hub of entertainment and complimenting the theatres is a host of performance spaces in hotels and cafes together with outdoor festivals and events and street entertainment. The diversity of entertainment from drag to drama, Rolling Stones to street buskers attracts a great cross-section of patrons to the Newtown precinct, who then have the opportunity to enjoy the atmosphere and activities of the precinct.
The Newtown Entertainment Precinct Association
NEPA is an initiative by the theatres of the Newtown precinct to work together to promote Newtown as an entertainment precinct. Traditionally there has been a great synergy between theatres and vibrant street life precincts. The Association is committed to enhance this synergy, celebrate the diversity of street life and provide greater co-operation and support between the businesses and various groups in the precinct.
The foundation members comprise: The Edge, the Enmore Theatre, New Theatre, Newtown Theatre, Pact Youth Theatre, Seymour Theatre Centre and Sidetrack Performance Group.
Both Marrickville Council and City of Sydney Council have provided vital support to the development of the Association and the furtherance of its aims and objectives. We are currently working together on a number of projects for 2006 and beyond.