Big Day Out HQ has been turned into performance studio

The new owner-occupier of Big Day Out’s office space in Surry Hills has turned the warehouse into a performance studio.

The Marlborough Street property, which was tenanted by the festival juggernaut’s staff, merchandise, design and touring company Love Police and music agency International Music Concepts (IMC), was auctioned off for $5.7 million last November through BresicWhitney.

Love Police have fully vacated the space and moved into their warehouse, while IMC are set to vacate in October.

The news follows reports of obtained documents by Music Feeds last month, which state Big Day Out’s postal address is now that of a local law firm.

The space will continue to trade within the arts industry. The new occupiers are Sport for Jove, an award-winning theatre company who produces a national touring festival of outdoor Shakespeare, theatrical and education-based seasons of classical and new works in Sydney theatre venues and provides education programs to NSW schools.

Sport for Jove has moved from their Artarmon offices and taken possession of the premises, however they are currently renovating the space.

The company’s Business Manager Steven Tait told TMN: “It is very important for our theatre company that the space continues to be utilised to promote and develop the arts in Sydney. We’re happy that we get to continue the artistic history of the space, and we look forward to contributing our small part to performance theatre in Sydney with it.”

Late last month Big Day Out’s Texan owner C3 Presents confirmed a 2015 festival tour would not go ahead but they would return in 2016.

Promoter AJ Maddah, who bought in to Big Day Out last September and sold his 50% share to C3 earlier this year, told triple j he lost 5.5 million on this year’s festival but that it was less than what C3 lost. He also revealed C3 has given him the chance to buy back his share for the 2016 edition and that he has already set to work on a lineup for Big Day Out’s comeback.