In an ongoing commitment to preserving and celebrating the venues that have shaped generations of performers and audiences across the country, Cameron Grant presents Australian Theatres Unveiled at fortyfivedownstairs this February.
Since 2023, I have been developing this series that celebrates the architecture and heritage of Australia’s major theatre venues. The collection spans front-facing facades through to dressing rooms and backstage wings, featuring theatres from around the country and revealing the physical spaces that shape their cultural identity.
Each work honours the character of these venues, and the emotional history they hold for performers, patrons, and the community.
As a performer myself – having graduated as an actor at the Victorian College of the Arts in 2018 – there is a deep nostalgia when revisiting an old theatre. I’ve listened to countless stories from colleagues detailing the “second homes” they’ve formed in dressing rooms, kitchenettes, and pitch-black stage wings. This series serves as a way to commemorate those stories and preserve their memories.
In a post-COVID industry, especially in Melbourne, the significance of live theatre has deepened significantly. Spaces once taken for granted now carry deeper meaning, both as cultural landmarks and as vessels for shared experiences.
I seek to honour that significance by presenting theatres in a new light that elevates the beauty, history, and stories embedded in these buildings, merging the boundaries of digital photography with fine-art presentation in a way that reflects and celebrates Australian theatre culture.
My first exhibition, held at my Brunswick East studio in July 2024, received recognition from industry leaders and marked the beginning of a broader mission: to create a visual archive of Australia’s theatre landscape.
I hope to see the works proudly feature on peoples living room walls; hanging next to cherished posters and ticket stubs, and the rooms of hotels that house touring artists so regularly.
Cameron Grant: Australian Theatres Unveiled
fortyfivedownstairs, 45 Flinders Lane, Melbourne
Exhibition: 5 – 14 February 2026
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.fortyfivedownstairs.com or www.parenthesyprints.com.au for details.
Images: Cameron Grant, Regent Theatre, Melbourne I, 2024, Canson ARCHES BFK Rives White 310gsm Matte print, 84cm X 60cm | Installation view of Australian Theatres Unveiled, Brunswick East, 2024 – photo by Cameron Grant