As one of the world’s most recognised landmarks, the Opera House welcomes around 10 million visitors each year, hosting 1,800 performances and events for more than 1.4 million attendees annually and supporting over 8,000 full-time equivalent jobs.
The Sydney Opera House is a world class performing arts destination so we’re introducing new planning measures which match that status and make sure it continues to be at the heart of Sydney’s event calendar.
Planned changes include:
- Increasing the maximum capacity for outdoor events from 5,000 to 6,000 people for low and medium scale events like DanceRites and Art on the Steps concerts happening currently as part of Vivid Live.
- Increasing the Southern Forecourt maximum capacity from 6,000 to 7,000 people for major events like the recent contemporary music concerts for Grace Jones, The Streets, PJ Harvey, Thom Yorke and Jimmy Barnes.
- Increasing the late-night sound levels for major events, to be consistent with maximum levels allowed earlier in the day, and make sure people get a world-class fan experience.
- Increasing event hours across all days of the week.
- Introducing a modernised sound management framework for low and medium impact events to make sure sound levels remain at common sense levels.
A responsive and modern planning framework will ensure the Sydney Opera House remains a vibrant, functional and sustainable venue, delivering cultural, social and economic value for NSW.
These reforms will support broadening programming and activating public spaces. This will increase community engagement and participation by supporting major events, enabling higher capacities and a better audience experience, and improving the commercial viability of concerts for a greater range of partners and presenters.
A number of these proposed changes will be on public exhibition alongside updates for Special Entertainment Precincts from Sunday 7 June to Tuesday 7 July.
Proposed enhancements to Special Entertainment Precincts include:
- Turning up the volume in community facilities like town halls by enabling them to host pop up events without a development application.
- Expanding rooftop dining and entertainment options,
- Making it easier to convert empty shops and offices into licensed small entertainment venues like small wine bars and restaurants.
- Activating commercial buildings and car parks for temporary uses like live music or community events.
This is another example of the Minns Labor Government delivering better more vibrant communities where people can live, work and play, helping build a better NSW.
Minister for the Arts and Night-time Economy John Graham said:
“No longer will noise levels at the Sydney Opera House forecourt be dictated by the bedtimes of the residents at the Toaster.
“Over the decades it became a Sydney sport to move in next door to a pub and then campaign to close it down. We are putting an end to that and the same approach should apply to the world’s greatest performance venue.
“The Sydney Opera House is everyone’s house and these changes make sure the experience matches the epic setting.”
Minister for Planning and Public Spaces Paul Scully said:
“We’re turning up the vibrancy of the Sydney Opera House, expanding capacity and hours so more people can enjoy the world class venue and cultural icon.
“These changes will be a great outcome for Sydney which will make sure this iconic venue remains at the heart of Sydney’s event calendar hosting concerts, markets, theatre and more.”
Sydney Opera House CEO Louise Herron said:
“These changes will enliven the Opera House experience for audiences and artists alike, expanding the possibilities of live performance on the world’s most recognisable stage.
“By offering events with greater capacity and sound, the Opera House will deliver a more contemporary, diverse and dynamic outdoor event program, elevating the patron experience while maintaining appropriate heritage safeguards for this significant precinct.”
Australian singer, songwriter and guitarist Dan Sultan said:
“It’s difficult to put into words just what my headline show at the Sydney Opera House Forecourt meant and means to me.
“At that time it was the largest crowd for one of my own concerts, that was the best my band had ever sounded and performed, I was at the best place in my life to date with my wife and children in the wings and I was singing and performing better than I’d ever done up to that point.
“The Sydney Opera House Forecourt is a globally iconic venue. It is truly a bucket list show for any Artist anywhere in the world. I am forever grateful for the experience and it blesses my heart always.”
