Shopfront Theatre for Youth Performance and Art

The Shopfront Theatre for Youth Performance and Art is a non-profit arts organization that has been operating in Sydney’s southern suburb of Carlton for over 40 years. Shopfront supports emerging actors, writers and directors by providing a socially-engaged environment for creative experimentation and play. The centre inhabits an old Federation-era house and car mechanics garage. Storage and set-making takes place in a shipping container and large garden shed. The spaces are unadorned and practical. Stephen Collier Architects were engaged in 2014 to design an ambitious program of new building work. This was scaled back in 2017. The design now reflects (even more acutely than before) the lean, improvisational nature of the centre and its activities whilst substantially improving accessibility, office and rehearsal space. A lush roof-top arbour also provides a much-needed place of rest and a sunny foil to the dark internalised interiors.