Melbourne’s Contemporary Arts Centre

Conveniently located close to Ngargee, the Victorian Arts Centre and Southgate, the Malthouse complex houses three theatres, rehearsal studios, meeting rooms, a bar and café. The Malthouse was originally built in 1892 as a brewery and malting works for Castlemaine Breweries. It was subsequently acquired by Carlton and United Breweries, who generously donated the site as a new home for Playbox Theatre following the fire that destroyed its original theatre in Exhibition Street.

Officially opened in 1990, its flexible, stylish and comfortable theatres are much sought after by a range of performing arts companies, including the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (for its contemporary season), the Melbourne Writers Festival, The Melbourne International Festival of the Arts and contemporary dance and theatre companies. These events complement the season of contemporary productions produced and curated by Malthouse Theatre, the resident theatre company of The CUB Malthouse.

Increasingly The CUB Malthouse is also seen as an exciting alternative to more conventional conference facilities and reception centres, hosting conferences, product launches and AGM’s for a range of corporate clients including the National Australia Bank and CUB.

CUB Malthouse
Founded in 1976 originally as Hoopla! then Playbox, Malthouse Theatre is the
resident company at The CUB Malthouse. Malthouse Theatre is dedicated to
building on Playbox Theatre’s three decades of leadership in the nation's
cultural and imaginative life through recognising, and being alive to, the
changing dynamics of theatre and theatre practice in contest with the contemporary imagination.

The core aim of the company is to develop, produce, and promote
contemporary theatre in Australia. It does this by searching out and bringing together interesting and imaginative Australian theatre makers - writers, directors, designers, composers, and actors - and supports them by creatively producing their artistic vision.

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