Keeping the Spotlight on Community Theatre

The Association of Community Theatre (ACT) is the proud home of community theatre in Australia — connecting, supporting and championing theatre groups for over 30 years.

Introduction

The Association of Community Theatre Inc was formed in the early 1990s, after a visit to Sydney from members of the Executive of the Federation of New Zealand Operatic Societies – now called Musical Theatre New Zealand.

A steering committee was formed and in the mid 90s, a band of about 20 theatre groups that were almost all in Sydney, became founding members of the organisation.

In 1996, ACT began a period of rapid expansion.

first launch

In 1996 the first launch of SHOWLINE took place in Sydney. ACT released a brochure which listed the performances of 40 theatres in Sydney – all linked to a central telephone number with booking details – Showline 1902 260 xxx (55c per minute).

A function with speakers, including representatives of State Government, was held and the combined initiative lifted membership to about 50 theatre groups over the next few years.

Our Achievements

170+

Productions listed in our latest “What’s On”

100+

Delegates at our first State Conference

30+

Years of community support

6+

Active regions: NSW, ACT, QLD, TAS, VIC & SA

The growth of “What’s on”:

Telstra discontinued the 1902 phone service we used for Showline, so ACT changed the Showline name to “What’s On”.

“What’s On” has produced a booklet of shows in Australia every year since 2001 and also created a list on the ACT website.

The 2007 brochure contained 74 production on 6 pages. The 2020 booklet contained 240 productions on 32 pages.

Insurance and Conferences

Helping ACT grow further was the inclusion in 1997 of Public Liability and Volunteer Accident Insurance policies offered for members. This saved community theatres money with competitive premiums, and gave the ACT an income stream. The policy is still in place run in association with Marsh Insurance.

The Association has used income from the insurance premiums to run by run its bi-annual conferences held with one exception at NIDA.

The first conference was in 1998 before NIDA was redeveloped.

The next conference is on 19 and 20 September 2026.

A Letter from Our CEO

At ACT, our mission is to preserve and enhance the magic of live performance. Whether its a small-town production or a state-wide conference, we believe in the power of theatre to change lives, build communities, and create lasting memories.

For over three decades, we’ve watched this incredible community grow from 20 Sydney-based groups to a nationwide network of passionate artists and creators. Every production in our “Whats On” guide represents dreams realised and stories told with heart.