Merrigong Theatre Company has been crowned Performing Arts Centre of the Year. Photo: IPAC.
Adaptability, innovation and a deep community focus have earned Wollongong’s regional theatre the ultimate national accolade.
Merrigong Theatre Company has been crowned Performing Arts Centre of the Year at the prestigious 2025 PAC Australia IMPACT Awards — a national honour recognising the most innovative and community-connected organisations in the performing arts.
The award, announced last night during the Australian Performing Arts Exchange (APAX) in Darwin, is the highest accolade bestowed by PAC Australia, the peak body representing performing arts centres, presenters and producers across the country.
Judges hailed Merrigong’s “bold and thoughtful reimagining” of its role in the sector, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, praising its long-term commitment to First Nations collaboration, artist wellbeing and the development of local talent through initiatives such as the MerrigongX Artists’ Program and The Strangeways Ensemble.
“Merrigong continues to set a national example of what it means to be a community-connected, artist-focused and forward-thinking regional presenting organisation,” PAC Australia Executive Director Katherine Connor said.
Letters of support from across the national industry backed the Wollongong-based company’s case for recognition, citing its ambitious programming, deep community engagement and growing national influence.
The award caps off a big year for the theatre company, headlined by its biggest season to date, landmark funding and major momentum for its artist development program.
Artistic Director and CEO Simon Hinton, who accepted the award in Darwin, said it was the result of years of the Merrigong team’s dedicated work in supporting the theatre community, creating new work and bringing incredible experiences to the Illawarra and beyond.
“It might seem like success is happening all at once, but the reality is, this is the culmination of seeds sown and nurtured over many, many years,” Mr Hinton said.
“It’s very exciting for our team to know what we’re doing is highly regarded and seen as industry-leading nationally,” he said.
Board chairman Warwick Shanks OAM said the win cemented Merrigong’s reputation as a leader in Australia’s performing arts landscape — and a cultural powerhouse in the Illawarra.
“It reflects not only the excellence of our artistic and operational teams, but also our deep commitment to serving our community through meaningful, inclusive and innovative performing arts experiences,” he said.
Mr Hinton said Merrigong would double down on delivering what audiences wanted.
“We’ve seen real success on blockbuster shows — known entities that people recognise, like ticket shows or adaptations from books people have heard of. But we’ve seen great success with locally made theatre that has resonated, and moved onto the mainstage and onto touring as well,” he said.
“From the outset, that might seem like two different strategies and in a way it is, but it boils down to one thing: connection.
“The theme we saw coming out of COVID is that’s what people yearn for — and we will strive to feed that generously.”
