The Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society has retained Diamond Schmitt to undertake a feasibility study for a new cultural precinct in Vancouver that will include a variety of performance spaces including symphony hall, recital hall, and opera/ballet hall.

The study will encompass building a business case, identifying possible locations, along with Indigenous engagement and public consultation, and marks a major step forward for Vancouver as it puts arts and culture at the centre of its city building over the next several years.

Fourteen performing arts organizations from across the city, including the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Opera, Ballet BC, Vancouver Chamber Choir, Vancouver Youth Symphony Orchestra, and Vancouver Youth Choir as key users, have provided their support for a new cultural precinct, with additional and improved performing arts facilities. Apart from providing acoustically superior performance spaces to accommodate orchestral and chamber music, the new cultural precinct would also support the needs of dance with a potential 1,200-seat theatre, a venue size that currently does not exist in Vancouver.

The cultural precinct will seek to provide flexible public spaces both inside and out, establishing places for creativity, education and performance that showcase the wealth of performing arts organizations in the city. Creating a cultural catalyst and destination for Vancouver, it will pave the way for the next generation of artists, musicians and performers.

“I am thrilled to see the Vancouver Concert Hall and Theatre Society kick off this exciting first step in their plan,” said Mayor Ken Sim. “Developing new performing arts facilities is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the incredible talent we have right here in Vancouver and elevate our city as a global centre for the arts. This initiative is about more than just the arts – it’s about solidifying Vancouver as a world-class city for both visitors and residents alike.”