Blacktown Arts Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Darug people at the highest point of land in what is now the Blacktown CBD.
Originally built in the 1950s as an Anglican church, the building was deconsecrated in 1999. Although originally acquired by Blacktown Council as a site for a car park, the Council subsequently worked in partnership with Arts NSW on a capital works program aimed at refurbishing the building as a multi-arts centre. The Blacktown Arts Centre opened to the public in October 2002.
The Centre quickly acquired a reputation for its commitment to excellence in arts development and for fostering cultural activity within the Western Sydney community. In 2006 it received the NSW Local Government Cultural Award as the best managed arts facility in the state and in 2007 received an additional Cultural Award for its commitment to Aboriginal cultural development.
Due to massive demand, the Centre temporarily relocated in 2006 to allow for a multimillion dollar refit and extension. The building reopened in April 2007 with state- of-the-art facilities for performance, extended visual art galleries, workshop space and enhanced administrative area.
Highlights of the Centre’s programming since opening include the development of a national touring exhibition (Regarding Retro), leading regional initiatives (Western Front), the commissioning of new theatrical works (Back Home, the Folding Wife), establishing partnerships with major cultural organisations (Museum of Contemporary Art, Sydney Symphony), the formation of artist networks, opportunities for community participation and the development of a comprehensive workshop series for children and adults.
