Three guiding principles are helping the new presenting company, City Recital Hall Limited, bring renewed and new interest to Sydney's City Recital Hall.

City Recital Hall opened in 1999 as a purpose-built venue for the presentation of fine music. Following a review in 2015, a new, independent not-for-profit arts company, City Recital Hall Limited, was established to unlock the venue’s cultural, social and economic value.

"We’ve consciously programmed in the gaps, not in competition with our hirers who we don’t want to lose. We’ve visualized our foyers not just as transit spaces, but as an inviting places to pause, relax, and as an entertainment spaces in themselves. We’ve invited new visitors and audiences in with activities which are spontaneous, free of commitment, and free of cost. And we’ve kept what was, and is already successful as we reimagine the venue."

In this talk, Elaine shares the journey so far in transforming from a venue-for-hire to a presenting venue, balancing the needs of established hirers and traditional audiences with the focus to broaden and diversify through contemporary programming, engagement of new audiences and enhanced visitor experiences. Click the play button above to watch the talk.

The venue's ground floor foyer is being transformed and used as a secondary performance space, for a lunchtime talk, or for a late-night cabaret.