The ACT Government has announced that it has signed a contract which will see the construction of a new, 2,000-seat lyric theatre for the Canberra Theatre Centre (CTC).

A digital rendering of Canberra Theatre Centre’s new lyric theatre. Photo courtesy of the ACT Government

Funded to the tune of $28 million, main construction will begin in early 2026, with the theatre positioned to be an ACT destination for major shows including musicals, international acts, ballet and opera, which don’t currently travel to the capital. The venue is slated for completion in 2028, with the hope that it brings new business opportunities to Canberra’s Civic and Cultural District.

“The new theatre will allow Canberra to host major national and international theatre productions that currently don’t visit Canberra because our 1965-built Canberra Theatre stage is too small and with only 1,200 seats, it just isn’t commercially viable for most touring shows,” wrote Chief Minister Andrew Barr in an Instagram post.

Catering to productions with big casts and sets, the venue will be built on the north side of The Playhouse and will include a proscenium, orchestral pit, fly tower and three tiers...