Riverside
Riverside Theatres is a government-owned performing arts venue in Parramatta, NSW, operated by City of Parramatta Council since 1988. It presents theatre, music, dance, comedy, and cinema across multiple spaces, serving around 180,000 attendees annually and currently undergoing a $276.8M redevelopment.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1988
- HeadquartersParramatta, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Riverside does
Riverside Theatres is a government-owned performing arts venue in Parramatta, New South Wales, Australia, established in 1988 as a Bicentennial project and operated by City of Parramatta Council. It presents theatre, musicals, music, dance, comedy, kids & family content, cinema, and special events across multiple performance spaces, serving approximately 180,000 attendees at around 1,000 events annually. Its core product is the venue-and-programming experience, supported by the National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP), an in-house producing arm launched in September 2015 that has delivered 48 shows, 73 creative developments, 24 commissions, 32 world premieres, and 32 Australian premieres over 2016-2023. The venue also operates Riverside Live at PHIVE, a second performance space that opened in January 2026 inside the PHIVE building at Parramatta Square to maintain programming during the main venue's redevelopment.
The underlying technology stack is a standard consumer ticketing layer rather than a proprietary platform. Riverside uses the EntaWeb ticketing platform (via boxoffice.riversideparramatta.com.au) for online ticket sales, e-ticket delivery, account management, booking history, and membership administration; no public or partner API is offered. Customer engagement channels are website, email newsletter, social media, and partner co-marketing with presenting companies. Distribution operates direct-to-consumer through a website box office, a physical box office at PHIVE, phone bookings (02 8839 3399), and a controlled authorised-reseller policy (caps resale at 110% of original price).
Riverside generates revenue from multiple streams: transaction-fee ticket sales (general admission $32-$79, group, education, and family pricing tiers), a $45/year subscription membership program (member pricing, pre-sale access, waived transaction fees, drink vouchers, 10% bar discount), venue hire for five event spaces, gift e-vouchers valid for 3 years, and tax-deductible donations supporting arts development and student subsidies. The customer base is fragmented across general theatre-goers, families with children, schools (primary, secondary, early childhood, vacation care), and venue hirers. Capital structure is dominated by a $276.8M redevelopment (NSW Government $40M grant plus Council $136M+) with anticipated reopening in 2030, which will more than double seating capacity to 2,780 and projected annual attendance to ~400,000.
Riverside firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Riverside
- Legal name
- City of Parramatta Council
- Website
- https://riversideparramatta.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1988
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Riverside Theatres is a government-owned performing arts venue in Parramatta, NSW, operated by City of Parramatta Council since 1988. It presents theatre, music, dance, comedy, and cinema across multiple spaces, serving around 180,000 attendees annually and currently undergoing a $276.8M redevelopment.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Riverside industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Venue
- NAICS
- Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses) (MPAGALAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums) (THAHAAAG), Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB), Theater, Musicals & Performing Arts (THAJAFAB), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC)
Keywords
Where Riverside is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Parramatta
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices4 records
Markets served
Riverside business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Primary revenue from selling tickets to performances and events across multiple venues including Riverside Theatres and Riverside Live at PHIVE. Transaction fees apply to ticket purchases.
- Membership Program: Annual membership program priced at $45 per year offering discounted tickets, pre-sale access, free drink vouchers, and 10% bar discount.
- Venue Hire: Venues available for hire including Riverside Theatre, Lennox Studio, Raffertys Studio, Riverside Courtyard, and Riverside Live at PHIVE for external events and performances.
- Gift E-Vouchers: Gift e-vouchers available for purchase, valid for 3 years, redeemable for tickets to any event.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted to support arts development, new work creation, and student ticket subsidies.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission Tickets |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Group Discount (4+ tickets) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Family Package |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Group Booking (Play School) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Education Bookings |
| Subscription | Annual | Annual Membership |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Gift E-Vouchers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Riverside product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Riverside Theatres operates as a performing arts centre in Parramatta, Western Sydney, hosting theatre, music, dance, comedy, cinema, and community events across multiple venues. It sells tickets directly to consumers through its website box office and physical box offices, offers venue hire to external organisations, runs education programs for schools, and produces original works through its National Theatre of Parramatta producing arm.
Product overview
Riverside Theatres operates as a multi-venue performing arts centre managed by City of Parramatta Council. The portfolio consists of two main venues: the original Riverside Theatres (established 1988) at Church and Market Streets, and the newly launched Riverside Live at PHIVE (opening January 2026) at 5 Parramatta Square. The National Theatre of Parramatta serves as the producing and commissioning arm. Additional offerings include venue hire services, education programs for schools, an online ticketing platform with user accounts, annual membership program, and gift e-vouchers. A major $276.8 million redevelopment is underway, with the new facility anticipated to open in 2030.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- National Theatre of Parramatta: The creating, commissioning, producing, touring and capacity-building arm of Riverside Theatres, known for producing bold, popular, contemporary works drawing inspiration from regional diversity.
Products and services
- Riverside Theatres The main performing arts venue located at Corner Church and Market Streets, Parramatta NSW, presenting musicals, theatre, music, dance, comedy, kids and family programming across multiple performance spaces.
- Riverside Live at PHIVE Riverside's newest venue located inside the PHIVE building at 5 Parramatta Square, Parramatta, offering an intimate performance space with programming across theatre, music, dance, comedy, film, talks, and community events, plus on-site box office and foyer facilities.
- National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP) The creating, commissioning, producing, touring and capacity-building arm of Riverside Theatres, producing bold, popular, contemporary works drawing inspiration from the diversity of Western Sydney; has presented 48 shows, supported 73 creative developments, commissioned 24 new works, and produced 32 world premieres between 2016 and 2023.
- Venue Hire
Companies that use Riverside
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Riverside technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Riverside partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.
- National Theatre of Parramatta (NTofP)coreNTofP is the creating, commissioning, producing, touring and capacity-building arm of Riverside Theatres, launched in September 2015. In 8 years (2016-2023), has presented 48 shows, supported 73 creative developments, commissioned 24 new works, with 32 world premieres and 32 Australian premieres.
- Australian Chamber Orchestra (ACO)majorCo-production partnership for Pinocchio - an ACO Families production featuring live music performed by ACO musicians, with original score by Bryony Marks and written by Finegan Kruckemeyer, directed by Tim McGarry.
- BBC StudiosmajorCo-producer of Bluey's Big Play The Stage Show with Andrew Kay and Windmill Theatre Co. Original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm with music by Joff Bush.
- Arts Centre MelbournemajorCo-producer of The Lark with Hey Dowling. Originally commissioned and produced by Arts Centre Melbourne and Hey Dowling, starring Noni Hazlehurst.
- Monkey Baa Theatre CompanymajorCo-producer of Where is the Green Sheep? with QPAC's Out of the Box, Arts Centre Melbourne, Sydney Opera House, and The Art House Wyong.
- ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)majorPartner for Play School Live Concert celebrating 60 years of Play School. Joint presentation with CDP Kids and Riverside.
- Performing LinescoreCo-presenter of ARCO with Riverside Theatres. Performing Lines is a producer of new Australian work.
- Nautanki Theatre CompanycoreFounded in Parramatta in 2012, Nautanki Theatre creates contemporary works infused with South-Asian content, contributing to an inclusive national theatre reflecting diasporic influences. Presents Orko at Riverside.
- CDP KidsmajorChildren's entertainment production company co-presenting Room on the Broom with Tall Stories and Riverside.
- Creative New ZealandmajorGovernment arts funding body supporting UPU production. Pacific Arts Strategy Team also providing support for the Pacific poetic theatre work.
- Black Swan State Theatre CompanymajorNTofP has collaborated with Black Swan State Theatre Company on co-productions and productions.
- Sydney Theatre CompanymajorMajor Australian theatre company with which NTofP has co-produced work.
- HOTA (Home of the Arts)majorGold Coast arts venue that has collaborated with NTofP on productions.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Riverside competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sydney Opera House: Australia's flagship performing arts venue, operating multiple theatres for theatre, music, dance, and comedy. Directly comparable to Riverside as a multi-venue performing arts centre, but at vastly larger scale and brand recognition.
- Adelaide Festival Centre: South Australia's primary performing arts venue complex, hosting theatre, music, dance, and family programming across multiple spaces. Comparable as a state-level multi-venue performing arts centre operating at a different regional catchment.
Emerging players
- Belvoir St Theatre: Sydney-based producing theatre company staging new Australian work. Comparable to NTofP in mission (new Australian theatrical production) and audience; differs from Riverside because Belvoir is primarily a producing tenant, not a venue operator on the scale of Riverside.
- Sydney Theatre Company: Major Australian producing theatre company that has co-produced work with NTofP. Comparable as a theatrical production partner with overlapping staging and IP partnership models, although STC is a producing company rather than a venue operator.
- Monkey Baa Theatre Company: Leading Australian children's theatre producer and Riverside co-production partner. Comparable in producing family-theatre IP (e.g., Where is the Green Sheep?) targeted at the same school/family segment Riverside serves through its education programs.
- Melbourne Theatre Company: Australia's largest theatre company, focused on producing plays and musicals. Comparable to NTofP as a producing entity building new Australian theatrical work, though MTC operates primarily as a producing company presenting at third-party venues.
Direct peers
- HOTA (Home of the Arts): Gold Coast performing arts venue that has collaborated with Riverside's National Theatre of Parramatta on co-productions. Comparable as a regional Australian multi-venue performing arts centre with venue hire, programming, and co-production activity.
- Arts Centre Melbourne: Victoria's premier performing arts complex hosting theatre, music, dance, and family programming across multiple venues. Riverside is listed as a co-production partner, evidencing close functional comparability in scale, programming model, and tier of Australian performing arts venues.
- Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC): Queensland's largest performing arts centre, operating multiple venues under one umbrella with a co-production arm and education programs. Directly comparable in operating model; Riverside is a documented co-production partner via Monkey Baa's 'Where is the Green Sheep?'.
Regional players
- Capitol Theatre (Sydney): Major Sydney commercial receiving house for Broadway-scale musicals and touring productions. Competes with Riverside for the same touring musical product within the broader Sydney market, though anchored in Sydney CBD rather than Parramatta.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Riverside social profiles
Digital presenceRiverside financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Riverside leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Riverside subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Riverside funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Riverside M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Riverside
What does Riverside do?
Riverside Theatres operates as a performing arts centre in Parramatta, Western Sydney, hosting theatre, music, dance, comedy, cinema, and community events across multiple venues. It sells tickets directly to consumers through its website box office and physical box offices, offers venue hire to external organisations, runs education programs for schools, and produces original works through its National Theatre of Parramatta producing arm.
Is Riverside a public or private company?
Riverside is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Riverside founded?
Riverside was founded in 1988. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Riverside based?
Riverside is headquartered in Parramatta, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Riverside make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Program, venue Hire, gift E-Vouchers and donations.
Who are Riverside's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sydney Opera House and Adelaide Festival Centre. Emerging players are Belvoir St Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Monkey Baa Theatre Company and Melbourne Theatre Company. Direct peers are HOTA (Home of the Arts), Arts Centre Melbourne and Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC). Capitol Theatre (Sydney) is listed as a regional player.
Does Riverside have an API?
No public API is recorded for Riverside.
What industry is Riverside in?
Riverside's product category is Performing Arts Venue. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGALAB, Theater & Performing Arts Venue Operations (Playhouses, Opera Houses), with a secondary code of THAHAAAG, Performing Arts & Cultural Event Venues (Theaters, Museums). Its NAICS code is 71131 and its SIC code is 7900.