Next Wave — Theatre

We are Next Wave, and Brunswick Mechanics Institute is our home — a former lending library and now multipurpose arts venue located in Merri-bek City Council.

We offer flexible and affordable venue hire options for artists, creative practitioners and cultural organisations looking for space to experiment, play and collaborate.

About our rates
The prices shown on SpacetoCo are our reduced rate and include GST.

Long-hire discounts are available for bookings of over a week. To make these bookings, you’ll need to apply to become a regular (verified) hirer.

We have some capacity to support hires from larger organisations and corporate/commericial hires, which incur an additional fee (full rate).

Full-rate hires not only help us continue to support early career creative practitioners, they also helps us continue to provide venue hire at a reduced rate (and sometimes in-kind) for those who need it.

Download our 2025 venue hire rate card.
Download a .docx file of our 2025 venue hire rate card.

About the theatre
Our theatre is a traditional black box (17,625mm x 8,400mm). The space is suitable for creative development, rehearsals, workshops, filming and artist talks.

The theatre is equipped with whiteboard, table and chairs, audio (console, FOH speakers and microphone), lighting (working lights, console and LEDs) and vision (projector - video only and projector screen).

Standard tech set up
The following equipment will be set up and included in all hires of the space. Additional equipment is available upon request and only permitted via the hire of a qualified Next Wave casual technician at an extra cost.

Audio:
Console - Allen & Heath ZED420 Analog Mixing Desk
Multicore - Connex 2830 Stagebox – 24in/4out, 30m
Crossover - dbx 223xs Stereo 2-Way/Mono 3-way Crossover
Amplifier - Yamaha P4500 Power Amplifier
FOH Speakers - 2 x JBL SP215-9 2-way Passive Speakers (flown in lighting grid)
Subwoofers - 2 x PreSonus AIR15 1200W 15” Active Subwoofers

Lighting:
Working Lights - 4 x LED Floodlights
Console - LSC Mantra Lite + Wing
Colour Wash - 8 x Nitek Lite Par T12 Colour LED

Vision:
Projector - Optoma EH515T 5500 Lumen Projector (Mounted in Lighting Grid)
Projector Screen - Smartfold Projector Screen (Image Size: 3319mm x 1867mm or 150” (3.81m) diagonal)

Power:
Standard 10A - Multiple 10A 240V sockets around the room

Additional tech
Additional equipment is available upon request and only permitted via the hire of a qualified Next Wave casual technician at an extra cost. If you would like a list of what additional tech is available, please get in touch.

Room Specifications
Capacity: 200 standing or 111 seated in retractable seating bank (not included in standard setup)
Length of Room: 17,625mm length
Width of Room: 8,400mm width
Height - Floor to Ceiling: 6,145mm floor to ceiling at centre of room (room slopes at sides)
Height - To Underside of Grid: 4,550mm floor to Grid
Floor: Timber floor - painted black
Loading Dock/Access: Loading via double door or ramp - 1,050mm wide x 2,200mm high
Room Drapes: Heavy black drapes on rails around perimeter of room, capable of blackout. Heavy white retractable drapes over window arches.
Emergency Exits: 3 x Emergency Exits – One on west side (into foyer), two on east side (out into carpark)
Internet Access: Wireless NBN and 1 x hardwired ethernet port

What can you use this space for?
Brunswick Mechanics Institute is available for hire for:

• Creative development activities that support testing, development and experimentation including activities that showcase the creative development process. This encompasses creative developments, rehearsals, workshops, filming, artist talks, work in progress showings, script development, auditions, research and development and small artist-led events.

• Community arts initiatives (such as public programs that support professional development for, and skill exchange between, creative practitioners).

When you book venue hire with Next Wave, you help us continue to support early career artists through our mentorship programs and deliver artist-led workshops, events and activities.

Brunswick Mechanics Institute is managed by Next Wave with the support of Merri-bek City Council. We aim to prioritise hires for local early career creative practitioners, arts organisations, and Merri-bek's human rights priority groups.

Learn more about our hire scope.
Download a .docx file of our venue scope

Public events
All public events require the use of a Next Wave casual front of house staff member at an additional cost based on the length and nature of your event.

Next Wave has a bar, which you can choose to have open for your event. Due to liquor licensing laws, it is a requirement that the bar is run by a Next Wave casual bar attendant, this can be staffed by us at an additional cost. There is no BYO alcohol permitted on site.

Staffing
Next Wave has a team of casual staff across front of house, bar and tech which you can choose to hire at an additional cost. Some staffing is a requirement depending on the nature of your booking.

Monday - Saturday casual staff rates:
FOH & Bar - $40/hr (3hr minimum)
Tech - $45/hr (3hr minimum)

Sunday & Public Holiday casual staff rates:
FOH & Bar - $70/hr (4hr minimum)
Tech - $80/hr (4hr minimum)

Other spaces in the venue
Our building consists of two seperate bookable spaces, our Studio and Theatre space. The building is also equipped with a bar/kitchenette area and is a wheelchair accessible venue, with an accessible bathroom. The venue operates all on one level. There are no stairs, steps or lifts within the building, however flooring can be uneven in places.

Acknowledgement
From the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Eastern Kulin Nations, Next Wave is privileged to traverse the land and waterways of this continent of many nations – to share in the act of art making and culture building – grounded on justice, friendship and care. This always was, and always will be, Aboriginal land.

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Photo credits: Thuy Vy, Tom Noble, Mae Hartrick and Next Wave staff.