Community Rallies for Marian St Theatre Crisis
Marian St ACTION
Federal, State and Local Government called upon to support the rebuild of Marian Street Theatre and increase funding for the Arts in their budget. Local community responds to crisis by attending rally, raising funds.
Media Release – 2 August 2026
Community launches emergency campaign to save Marian St Theatre
Supporters have until Thursday to raise $100,000 to preserve approved architectural plans
More than 250 residents, artists, performers and community leaders formed a sea of red outside Gordon Library today, launching an emergency community fundraising campaign to save the architectural plans for Marian St Theatre.
The crowd gathered for Rally in Redafter Ku-ring-gai Council voted on 16 June to allow the approved plans for the theatre to expire on 19 August.
Unless $100,000 is raised before Thursday to preserve the approval, more than 20 years of planning, consultation and design work, together with $1.7 million of public investment, will be lost.
Marian St Theatre Action Chair Jessica Blaxland Ashby announced the launch of a community GoFundMe campaign, calling on supporters to raise the $100,000 needed to give Councillors the opportunity to reverse their decision.
"We didn't come here today to ask the community for money. We came because we were angry."
"Council has left us with almost no time. Thursday is the last day an Extraordinary General Meeting can be called in time to save the approved architectural plans. If the community can raise the money, there is no excuse left. Councillors can rescind their previous decision and preserve the plans."
Blaxland Ashby said every donation would be refunded if Council declined to preserve the plans. "This isn't about funding the theatre. It's about saving the DA. It isn’t the Council that will save the theatre – it’s the community."
The approved redevelopment, designed by leading theatre architects Tonkin Zulaikha Greer, would transform Marian St Theatre into a contemporary arts centre with spaces for theatre, music, dance, exhibitions and community events.
If the plans are allowed to expire, campaigners say reopening Marian St Theatre would be delayed by another decade – or lost altogether.
The rally featured performances by local artists including concert pianist Dong Jun "DJ" Ha, Hannah and Howard Gwatkin, and Tillies Tap House, alongside speakers representing generations of the Marian St community. Among them were former Marian St Theatre for Young People Artistic Director and Opera Australia Head of Education, Learning and Participation Nathan Gilkes, Midnight Feast representatives Sarah Armstrong and Kylie Heart, Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic Orchestra President Anne Cahill, former Mayor Cheryl Szatow, actor and educator Dolores Dunbar, performer Scarlet Lindsay, community advocate Bronwyn Hanna and Davidson MP Matt Cross.
Matt Cross MP reiterated his support for preserving Marian St Theatre and committed to presenting the community petition to the NSW Parliament. Ku-ring-gai Councillors Cedric Spencer and Indu Balanchandran observed the proceedings. Federal MP for Bradfield Nicolette Boele submitted a statement that “Marian Street Theatre is a clear case where, rather than building new infrastructure from scratch, we can step in now to preserve and revitalise the space that already exists”.
Community advocate Bronwyn Hanna contrasted Council's refusal to spend the budgeted $100,000 required to preserve Marian St's approved plans with its willingness to pursue major new sporting infrastructure projects costing over $20 million dollars, such as the unbudgeted Norman Griffiths Oval funding.
Campaigners are now calling on supporters to contribute to the emergency fundraising campaign before Thursday.
About us:
GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/urgent-save-marian-st-theatre-we-have-until-thursday
Images: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fVvbCSmPKgZ8ETXtgUldAoKgbbrhmpiv?usp=sharing
Website: https://marianstaction.com.au/
Jessica Blaxland
Contact details:
Media contacts: Jessica Blaxland Ashby 0438 241 126 [email protected], Geoff Sirmai Arts Publicity 0412 669 272 [email protected]
Opinion piece by resident, ratepayer and Marian Street supporter Howard Gwatkin is available on request.
