2025 ViV! Cath McNamara – 23-25 August
About Local Stages
Local Stages supports the development of the performing arts in the Bathurst Region and the Central West of NSW. The program was initiated to “unlock” access to BMEC’s facilities and resources for the development of contemporary and innovative performing arts practice. There was a realisation that as regional theatre companies were disappearing regional performing arts centres were arising and that these could become hubs for a diverse range of regional contemporary performing arts development.
In 2007, Local Stages was funded as a three-year pilot project by the Theatre Board of the Australia Council for the Arts (now Creative Australia), Arts NSW (now Create NSW) and Bathurst Regional Council. 17 years later Local Stages has firmly established itself as a vital regional program and funding is obtained from a range of sources with core funding continuing from Arts NSW and BRC.
Local Stages has developed a proud local, regional and national reputation as an incubator of new work and is often cited as an example of regional best practice. It is now part of the heart of BMEC and is intertwined with every element of BMEC performing arts activity.
