Sydney Mechanics' School Of Arts

Members' Library | Public Talks | Tom Keneally Centre | Venue Hire

MEMBERS' LIBRARY | PUBLIC TALKS | TOM KENEALLY CENTRE | VENUE HIRE
Celebrating 184 years in 2017, SMSA is the oldest operating School of Arts and operates the longest-running lending library in Australia. Since colonial times, the Sydney Mechanics’ School of Arts has made a major contribution to Sydney’s culture, industry, society and politics.

Today, the School continues to operate longest-running lending library in Australia and a robust public program of talks, seminars and screenings which are free and open to both members and the general public. The School also opened the Tom Keneally Centre in 2011, forming Thomas Keneally’s living legacy to Australia and a venue for literary activities such as writing classes, readings and author talks. Our venue hire floor boasts a large theatre as well as flexible and affordable meeting rooms that can be configured according to hirer’s needs.

The SMSA also continues to contribute to the local community through grants, scholarships and donations to organisations including 2RPH, Julian Ashton Art School and Dictionary of Sydney, and endowments to University of Western Sydney, University of Technology, Sydney and University of Sydney. Through other activities, the School also supports a broad range of Not-For-Profit and community organisations in the local Sydney region.