fjcstudio’s design for the expansion of Campbelltown Arts Centre has been on public exhibition on the NSW Government’s major projects planning portal. Campbelltown City Council appointed fjcstudio as principal consultant in late 2025, and the project is expected to be completed in 2029.
Grounded in Dharawal Country
The design draws on the Dharawal landscape and culture to strengthen the centre’s visual and physical connection to its setting. A new entry faces Mount Annan and is designed as a place for gathering, storytelling and performance. Forecourts along the building’s edges make room for cultural practices such as weaving and dance.
The two-storey form is shaped by a series of organic curves that wrap around existing trees. As our design report puts it, the building aims to “reject the hard-edged walls of many monuments to modern art.”
A centre that grows with its community
The original centre, designed by Tanner Kibble Denton Architects, opened in 2005 and has an established place in its community. The expansion extends and reorients the building to strengthen its connection to the Campbelltown city centre. Two parts of the existing building are retained, including the northern wing and its cantilevered awning facing the parkland. The expanded centre will include:
- expanded art gallery spaces and dedicated art storage
- a new 350-seat black box theatre, with back-of-house facilities and rehearsal spaces
- educational workshops and community facilities
- artists’ studios, workshops and residences
- a cafe and restaurant, a retail store and conference spaces.
The foyer and atrium are designed to display artworks and host artist talks, small performances and events.
Part of a wider cultural precinct
fjcstudio is also developing a masterplan for a wider cultural precinct on behalf of Campbelltown City Council. The expanded arts centre is designed to act as a catalyst for that precinct and as a cultural destination for the region.
At the time of our appointment, Design Director Richard Francis-Jones described the project as more than the sum of its gallery, theatre, conference and workshop spaces: “It will be the Campbelltown community’s cultural place, open to everyone to spend time, create and connect.”
The project builds on fjcstudio’s work in culture and galleries, including Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki and Bunjil Place.
Richard Francis-Jones, Design Director, fjcstudio
