The Gallery Building
Designed by ARM Architecture, HOTA Gallery's signature folded-steel facade draws on the geometry of the landscape and the fluid movement of the nearby Nerang River.
Our History
From its beginnings, the 17-hectare HOTA site at Evandale has been a place of almost constant development and evolution.
HOTA sits on Kombumerri Country
Land that has been a place of gathering, storytelling and creative expression for thousands of years. Today it carries that tradition forward as the Gold Coast’s premier cultural precinct – a 17-hectare campus of theatres, galleries, cinemas, outdoor stages, and green spaces where more than 780,000 people experience art each year. This is the story of how it got here – and where it’s going next. Learn about the Kombumerri people and this land.
1960’s – 1980’s
The Beginning
1990’s – 2000’s
Growth & Identity
2010’s
The Masterplan
2017–2021
HOTA Takes Shape
2023–Today
Experience Gold Coast Era
1960’s
The Beginning
The Gold Coast purchased the Evandale site — the first step toward a civic arts and community precinct on the waterfront.
1976Building milestone
Gold Coast Civic Centre opens
The Gold Coast Civic Centre was opened with great fanfare, featuring a distinctive three-storey glass beehive design, designed by local architect Alan Griffith.
1986Building milestone
Keith Hunt Community Entertainment & Arts Centre opens
The Keith Hunt Community Entertainment and Arts Centre was officially opened in December 1986, owned and managed by Gold Coast City Council. It was later renamed as the Gold Coast Arts Centre.
1990’s – 2000s
Growth & Identity
1993
Gold Coast Arts Centre Proprietary Company Limited formed
Gold Coast City Council formed the Gold Coast Arts Centre Proprietary Company Limited as a separate legal entity, to diversify funding income, deepen community engagement and increase marketplace flexibility. Gold Coast City Council remained the sole shareholder.
1996
An Arts Cafe is added to the building
A cafe space is added so audiences can meet, eat, and linger — making a day at the arts centre feel as welcoming as the shows on stage.
2004Building milestone
Major extension: cinema, function rooms, new administration
A significant extension adds a cinema, flexible function rooms, and new administration — broadening film, events, and day-to-day operations.
2009 – 2016
The Masterplan
2009
Cultural-Civic Precinct Taskforce
A City-led Cultural-Civic Precinct Taskforce was established to develop a masterplan exploring Evandale's future potential.
2010
Rebrand to The Arts Centre Gold Coast
The Gold Coast Arts Centre was renamed, rebranded, refurbished and relaunched as The Arts Centre Gold Coast, as part of an ongoing change of strategic direction.
2013–2014Building milestone
International design competition & cultural precinct masterplan
The City held an international design competition for the new cultural precinct at Evandale. Out of more than 75 entries, ARM Architecture and TOPOTEK 1 were chosen. Their design informed the City's 2014 Cultural Precinct Masterplan.
2017–2021
HOTA takes Shape
2017Building milestone5000+ Capacity
HOTA Outdoor Stage opens
Stage 1, the HOTA Outdoor Stage, was completed in November 2017. A versatile double-sided venue: a black-box theatre with a riverside entrance and a back wall that folds away completely, opening onto an amphitheatre with seating and lawn space for 5,000 people. 5000+ Capacity
2019Building milestone130 m
HOTA Green Bridge connects the precinct to Surfers Paradise
The 130-metre green bridge (which is blue), designed and delivered by ARM, Archipelago and CUSP. For pedestrians and bikes, it spans the Nerang River, connecting HOTA to Surfers Paradise via Chevron Island. 130 m
2021Building milestone2000m² Gallery · 6 Levels
HOTA Gallery opens
On 8 May 2021, the HOTA Gallery officially opened, along with The Exhibitionist Bar on the Gallery Rooftop, Palette Restaurant, and a new HOTA Shop. Designed by ARM, the Gallery spans six levels with over 2,000m² of AAA rated, international standard exhibition space, including a 1,000m² main exhibition gallery, a dedicated Children's Gallery, 900m² for the City collection and temporary exhibitions, and nearly 1,000m² of collection storage. 2000m² Gallery · 6 Levels
2023 – Today
A New Chapter
2023
Experience Gold Coast formed
In 2023, HOTA became part of Experience Gold Coast — a bold new organisation formed by merging five of the city's major entities: HOTA, Destination Gold Coast, Major Events Gold Coast, Study Gold Coast and Placemakers. Modelled on the proven formula of leading global cities, Experience Gold Coast brings together tourism, major events, education, and arts and culture under one united team, with a shared mission to cement the Gold Coast's reputation as the Lifestyle Capital of Australia. For HOTA, this new chapter means greater reach, deeper collaboration, and a more powerful platform to connect art and culture with the city's growing global ambition — ensuring the precinct remains at the heart of Gold Coast life for generations to come.
HOTA Today
17
Hectare Precinct
780,000+
Annual Visitors
4,500+
Works in the Gallery Collection
15
Performance Venues
1,000+
Shows & Events per year
Looking Ahead
Subject to Council endorsement and funding allocation, the next phase of delivery will be a new state-of-the-art Lyric Theatre, to meet the needs of our growing city.
Lyric theatres are designed to accommodate major theatrical productions involving music. They host performances such as musicals, ballet, opera, comedy and live music.
The new Lyric Theatre at HOTA will be a similar size to major theatres in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. It will attract around 200 performances of blockbuster international and national touring shows to the city each year.
Proposed new facilities
- New 1800-seat lyric theatre
- Versatile studio theatre
- Rehearsal space
- New foyers and food and beverage facilities
- Urban design upgrade and interfaces
The Architecture
HOTA's buildings are as striking as the art inside them. Designed to connect people with place, each structure is a landmark in its own right — shaped by the Gold Coast's light, landscape, and ambition.
The Outdoor Stage
The iconic amphitheatre-style Outdoor Stage sits at the heart of the precinct, capable of hosting thousands of guests beneath the Gold Coast skyline.
Also at HOTA
First Nations at HOTA
HOTA sits on Kombumerri Country, land that has been a place of gathering, storytelling and creative expression for thousands of years. First Nations art, culture and voice are central to everything we do - from our gallery exhibitions and performances to our ongoing relationships with Kombumerri families and the wider Yugambeh Language Region.
HOTA Gallery Collection
The HOTA Gallery Collection brings together over 4,500 works spanning painting, sculpture, photography, and new media - with a focus on Australian art and the stories of our region. Explore the collection online or experience it in person across our six-level gallery.
Visit & Explore the Precinct
Spread across 17 hectares on the banks of the Nerang River, the HOTA precinct is one of Queensland's most vibrant cultural destinations. With theatres, galleries, a cinema, outdoor stages, dining, green spaces and more - there's always something to discover.