In an environment of high rents and property prices, the alternative Sydney arts, performance and grassroots community scenes have been operating on a system of unofficial venues (warehouses) that run without relevant licenses. As such, they have been systematically shut down by police and councils.
Five queer women have hocked themselves into major debt to buy a quaint old factory in Marrickville, and with an incredible amount of help and support have created a space to address the need for a permanent community venue, which operates legally and can be “depended on” to stay open.
Run by unpaid artists and activists, The Red Rattler is a creative playground for performers, musicians, artists, designers, multi-media makers, experimentalists, film-makers, theorists, activists, collective organisers, and local punters, fitted with a full PA, stage, LED lighting rig, projector and screen, licensed bar, two non-residential artist studios, and a rooftop garden.
The Red Rattler operates a not-for-profit philosophy, with a tiered fee structure being charged to community users to cover regular outgoings only. Guests are asked to contribute a 50c donation to an eco-plan to run the space largely on renewable water and energy sources.
Located in an industrial area (originally called Tramvale Estate in the early 1900s) and in close proximity to Sydenham station, the name of the theatre is inspired by the old Red Rattler trains. Carriages were open plan with long bench seats, the trains were a bit noisy, clickerty clack on the tracks. Whilst the rattle refers to us trying to shake things up a bit in terms of accessible venues and creative spaces in Sydney, the colour red has long associations with left politics, revolution and anarchism.
