Melbourne’s Iconic Capitol Theatre To Reopen Next Year

19 November 2018 | 2:32 pm | Staff Writer

"A thriving centre where the creative community can interact."

It’s been a long time coming, but beloved Melbourne venue Capitol Theatre will reopen in 2019 after extensive refurbishments, with audiences not only being able to appreciate screenings once again but also enjoy the city's favourite ceiling.

The iconic landmark originally opened in 1924 before being purchased in 1999 by RMIT University, who closed it for refurbishments in 2014.

It has now been announced the space will once again become a hotspot for “a thriving entertainment and arts scene”, with the revived cinema expected to host more than 500 events a year.

The news comes as RMIT partners with the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), with the museum utilising the space during its own “major revitalisation” between mid-2019 to mid-2020 for a number of film festivals.

“By transforming this beloved landmark and partnering with ACMI, we’re creating a space not just for RMIT students and staff, but for the wider Melbourne community,” RMIT Pro Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President Paul Gough said.

“We’re creating a cultural and educational destination - a thriving centre where the creative community can interact, connect and collaborate.

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“We’re embedding creative industries directly into RMIT and by doing that, we are able to provide unique student and staff experiences that they won’t find anywhere else.”

The venue’s refurbishments included massive overhauls of the foyer, cinema projection upgrades, lighting and sound upgrades, and seat and carpet replacement.