Join us in securing NORPA’s future. Give today!

 

A NEW HOME FOR NORPA

This future vision will be realised at the site of an old timber factory we love to call The Joinery.

 

Our new home will be a beacon for the entire region, with:

• Large versatile contemporary spaces for hosting special events and productions (3000 m2!!).
• Cutting-edge, flood-resilient spaces that demonstrate the role of art in regional renewal and adaptation.
• A professionally resourced space for performance-makers and artists to rehearse and create work for regional and national presentation.
• An incubator for creativity, hosting artist-in-residencies from across Australia and overseas.
• 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.

OUR JOINERY

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.

Heather Fairbairn (NORPA’s Artistic Associate and a freelance artist) sees the benefits 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.”

What this home means to us and our region:

• Engagement with over 15,000 community and audience members 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

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.

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.

YOUR SUPPORT

We can’t make it happen without your support. We have a limited window to secure this property and set this visionary project in motion. Your decision to invest now will determine the cultural and economic trajectory of an entire region for decades to come.

NORPA must raise $600,000 to purchase the building catalysing the broader $9.1 million Joinery development. By contributing now, you’ll be joining a group of cultural heroes shaping the future of arts and community resilience in the Northern Rivers.

Join us in securing NORPA’s future. Visit our giving page here to make a donation 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.

Gallery

 

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 Chrofi, 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.