Having presided over the flashy extravaganza of Sydney World Pride in 2023, Kate Wickett might seem like an unlikely champion for a discreet, acoustically rich venue tucked away in the city’s commercial heart.
But when the former lawyer and consultant took over as chief executive officer of the City Recital Hall in mid-2024, she arrived with a clear mandate from the board: growth, transformation, and dragging one of Sydney’s best-kept secrets out of the shadows.
More than two years on, the strategy is paying off as the hall enjoys something of a renaissance. Revenue and audience numbers are up as the Angel Place venue welcomes a younger and more diverse crowd in addition to those who have long arrived for a traditional classical music offering.
The hall has also just landed a $300,000 philanthropic contribution from two strong supporters of the city’s cultural scene, sisters Beau and Paris Neilson. The donation is the largest single gift in the venue’s history, representing more than 50 per cent of the current programming budget. The gift is essential for a venue that must compete for artists and audiences against other heavily subsidised cultural institutions.
“I think what’s happening here is exciting, and it’s optimistic,” said Paris Neilson, who is also a member of the Art Gallery of NSW Trust. “Venues can’t just keep doing what they’ve always done. You need to innovate and you need to try different things to bring in new audiences, and Kate and her team have done an exceptional job making that happen.”
The programming team now has its sights set on securing well-known international artists for performances and exclusive residencies. “That would just put this place on the map once and for all,” said Phillippa Martin Reiter, who joined the team earlier this year as director of programming and events after a stint at the Sydney Opera House.
The City Recital Hall has long been widely regarded as a cultural gem with a peculiar visibility problem. Tucked just off George Street, it boasts a 1238-seat auditorium, but its usage has remained stubbornly low.
“Even though this building is in the most extraordinary location, there are too many people who don’t know it’s here,” Beau Neilson said in an interview last week.
“We need to make sure we’re nurturing the artistic environment at home but we also need to make sure we keep things fresh and that our local communities are able to see international performances as well. We hope this gift can help contribute to that.”
Unlike Melbourne Recital Centre, Sydney’s hall does not receive any state or federal funding. It now receives $1 million a year from the City of Sydney – an increase of $300,000 on the previous five years.
Audience numbers grew to 141,293 last financial year – a 50 per cent increase on just a few years prior.
“We have taken a lot of risks but we’ve been calculated and intentional,” said Wickett, who in this role has combined her commercial expertise with a long-held love for arts and culture.
Last financial year, the hall was used for just 55 per cent of the time, but that was still a jump from 50 per cent in 2022/23. Wickett said they were on track for an even healthier 61 per cent utilisation rate this year.
“The hall has been batting above the average with such significant growth over the last couple of years, and that’s been because we’ve been very deliberate about what we choose to program,” Wickett said.
Wickett said the hall was acutely aware of the impact of rising interest rates and other cost-of-living pressures on its existing and potential audiences.
“Every time someone walks in these doors, they are spending their discretionary income on it,” she said.
“We need to make sure they are treated well and that the music they experience is really good.
“We are aware of those pressures but we are also aware we can provide a space where people can escape through music or dance or some other creative outlet. We want to extract joy and happiness and human connection. It’s hard to beat.”
You have reached your maximum number of saved items.
Remove items from your saved list to add more.
You've used all of your gift articles. 3 more will become available on the 1st of every month.
