Community is at the centre of everything we do

Our goal is to build and sustain strong and meaningful relationships with individuals, groups and organisations across our local community, to meet our aims for inclusivity, diversity, access and opportunity. We work with a wide range of local organisations to develop specific arts-based programs and provide subsidised community rates and event support for the use of our spaces. These include:

Proud community partners since 2006, The Disability Trust’s Sport and Recreation program offers participants the opportunity to regularly work with professional theatre artists and to present their bi-annual productions in our venues. In early 2023, we will support the Trust’s first ever drama camp (with funding from Create NSW and the Office for Regional YouthDepartment of Regional NSW).

Merrigong supports Beyond Empathy’s team of artists, mentors, community workers and leaders with strong connections to First Nations communities, through a partnership that provides young people in need with access to the theatre.

Merrigong works with Vision Australia to connect people who are blind or have low vision to the theatre through our services of Audio Descriptions and on-stage Tactile Tours for selected shows.

Our partnership with Coomaditchie United Aboriginal Corporation aims to provide positive, supported pathways into employment for local First Nations community members.

Merrigong works with Woolyungah Indigenous Centre to host interns from the University of Wollongong to improve student opportunities for career development and employment in the arts.

Merrigong partners with South Coast Writers Centre to provide venue support for their annual South Coast Writers’ Festival, Young Writers’ Program, and Live and Local, a satellite event of the Sydney Writers’ Festival, as well as the Merrigong & SCWC Playwright’s Project.

We are working with Green Connect to improve our social responsibility and sustainable approach to delivering events to the community.

Merrigong supports Wollongong Conservatorium of Music in connecting community and young people to music in our venues.