OUR VISION

Imagine a space where creativity thrives, new works are born, and resilience and adaptation have informed the design. That’s the future NORPA envisions for The Joinery — transforming a historic joinery factory into a flood-resilient, world’s best practice arts hub, right in the heart of Lismore.

INSIDE THE JOINERY

When completed, our new home will be a beacon for the entire region, with:

• Expansive, flexible spaces (3,000m²) for special events and performances.
• Cutting-edge, flood-resilient spaces that demonstrate the role of art in regional renewal and adaptation.
• Fully equipped rehearsal and creative spaces for artists developing work for regional and national stages.
• An incubator for creativity, welcoming artist residencies from across Australia and around the world.
• A training centre nurturing local talent in acting and dance, stage design and technical production.
• A collaborative space fostering initiatives that support the region’s creative and social enterprises.

THE JOINERY’S IMPACT

What it means to NORPA and our region:

• 15,000+ community and audience members will be engaged annually.
• 160+ artists and technicians, and arts workers employed annually.
• Leverage the over $1 million of arts funding annually to NORPA and its associated creative partners

Heather Fairbairn, NORPA’s Artistic Associate and a freelance artist, sees The Joinery as “a fit for purpose space where artists can experiment, create, collaborate, and present their work locally. An arts precinct will help bridge the gap between the limited resources available to local talent and what is available to artists working nationally and internationally – allowing our community to thrive.”

For national artists and creatives like Wesley Enoch AM “Having a home is important. You feel safe and secure. Having a cultural home for your community builds more community and extends an invitation for everyone to feel safe and secure.”

As a lighthouse project, it will also attract new investment into our creative ecosystem and open up endless, diverse opportunities for NORPA to continue to create and present fantastic events and productions.

The Joinery performance space, render by Choi Studio

OUR STORY SO FAR

For 30 years, NORPA has been the cultural heartbeat of the Northern Rivers, creating bold, vital theatre that aims to engage everybody in our community, regardless of their background. When the 2022 floods devastated Lismore, they didn’t just destroy buildings — they threatened to wash away our stories, our shared experiences, our very identity.

Lismore’s strength and resilience ensured the town survived, and so did NORPA, despite extensive damage to its previous home at Lismore City Hall. But while that building will hopefully be restored in the future, NORPA’s vision for contemporary performing arts requires resources beyond what is possible in that space. This moment has inspired us to create something new—a dedicated home that will support innovative theatre-making and provide a dynamic, creative space for the community to engage with story and performance.

STAGE ZERO: INITIAL REPAIRS

Thanks to the many cultural heroes in our community who supported the purchase of this building — and with State Government funding now secured to repair and reinstate sections of the building — builders will be on site from July 2025.

The first stage is to create temporary office and theatre making spaces for NORPA, allowing temporary use of the space in the near future. We anticipate this to be completed by March 2026, with exciting future plans for one-off events and activities to mark the site’s creative rejuvenation.

All work completed in this stage is designed for flood resilience, ensuring NORPA can quickly return to operations after future weather events. This is thanks to the collaborative work of project architects, Choi Studio, and contractors.

Progressing with these early works provides a tangible glimpse of The Joinery’s potential and serves to demonstrate the importance of continued investment in our future building.

STAGE ONE: THE VISION CONTINUES

Stage One will see the full renovation of the building into a flood resilient adaptive creative hub. The works include lifting the northern building section above flood planning levels to house a purpose-built professional rehearsal studio, new offices, storerooms and meeting spaces. This stage will also introduce a new entrance foyer, public spaces, and an open-plan facility on ground level, with all materials being flood resilient

Works to the building facade include replacement glazing, and upgrades to footpaths and paved areas and new landscaping to enhance public areas.

This step-by-step development helps NORPA prepare for investment and transition into our new home smoothly, bringing many benefits to the area.

NOT JUST A BUILDING

A National Story — NORPA’s new home will be a symbol of resilience and a catalyst for Lismore’s long-term recovery. This new performing arts hub will transform the site into a contemporary, flood-resistant, climate-adaptive space that will serve as a leading example in Australia of cultural-led community recovery as natural disasters become more frequent.

A Destination — Crucially, this new home will enable NORPA to transcend its Lismore-centric roots and truly become a cultural anchor for the entire Northern Rivers region. With a larger, more versatile and professional making space, NORPA will be able to create and host productions that resonate with and draw artists and community from across the region and beyond.

Community Experiences — From our new home, NORPA will create its signature site-specific works and present them across the region—from the coast to the hinterland. This will mean NORPA can engage with a broader range of communities and become a unifying cultural force for the Northern Rivers region, all while continuing to tell the diverse stories for which it is renowned.

PROJECT GOVERNANCE

For initial repairs and future development of The Joinery, NORPA has established an advisory body to provide advice and expertise to  NORPA in the delivery of this ambitious infrastructure development project. Group members invited from the community, through their knowledge, connections and skill sets provide high level oversight, detailed recommendations and subject matter information to enable NORPA make decisions on both minor and major matters relating to the project.

SUPPORT THE JOINERY

Join us in securing NORPA’s future. Donate today or sign this petition to illustrate community support to our funders. Together, we can build a home for creativity, resilience and innovation that will shine far beyond our shores.

If you’d like to discuss your donation, please call us at 02 6622 0300 or email [email protected] for more information.

Prefer to donate by mail? Download our pledge form here.

FAQ

Why the change after 30 years of being at Lismore City Hall?
NORPA will no longer be managing Lismore City Hall on behalf of the Council when it reopens. This has been a mutual decision following many discussions with Council about the future of Lismore City Hall since the 2022 floods.
We will continue to focus on creating and presenting our original theatre works, including site-specific works, and supporting creative development across the region. The company remains committed to playing a key role in the cultural growth of the region. We may still put on shows at Lismore City Hall when it reopens, we just won’t be managing the venue.

What is the future of Lismore City Hall?
NORPA and Lismore City Council have worked together collegially throughout the process of review and assessment of Lismore City Hall’s future. Both recognise the continued impacts of the 2022 floods on prioritising respective resources to find solutions which secure long-term sustainability for each organisation.
Lismore City Council is considering future uses and management models for City Hall, but they have said it will remain a valuable community place for arts, cultural performances and events. Regarding the timeline for re-opening, Council have said they expect the venue reinstatement to be completed by July 2026.

What are some of the highlights over the last 30 years for NORPA?
As managers of Lismore City Hall we are so proud of the variety and quality of performing arts we have brought to the venue, including our own works. NORPA worked hard to establish touring relationships with over 110 Australian companies, many who visited the region on numerous occasions building a strong fan base. Just some of those companies include Bangarra Dance Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Opera Australia, Bell Shakespeare, Circa, Circus Oz and Company B-Belvoir.
Our proudest achievement during our time as managers of Lismore City Hall is nurturing the Lismore community into some of the boldest and most engaged theatre audiences in regional Australia. We estimate over half a million people went through the building during our management.

Why re-build in the Lismore CBD?
Rebuilding in the Lismore CBD is a commitment to community resilience. The Joinery will be a flood-resilient, climate-adaptive hub designed to withstand future floods, supporting the arts while leading by example in sustainable construction. By situating The Joinery in the CBD, NORPA is helping to revitalise the heart of Lismore, creating a cultural anchor that supports local businesses and drives long-term recovery for the entire region.

Who has designed these new home images?
Our very talented friends at Choi Studio, an award-winning Australian architecture firm, are collaborating closely with NORPA to create a resilient home that will set a global standard for how arts and culture can drive recovery in climate-affected regions.