Venue Rental

Learn about the services offered when you rent a space at the Oakville Centre, policies and procedures you're required to follow, and how to submit your application.

Tools for success

Whether you need a 485-seat auditorium or an intimate 120-seat Studio Theatre, we are here to help plan your event from technical set-up and operation to ticketing and box office services to catering.

The Oakville Centre has two fully licensed bars, a servery for food staging, complete sound and lighting systems, tables and chairs and convenient coat check areas.

For available dates, please review the Facility Rental Information (pdf) document and email RentTheCentre@oakville.ca

The Oakville Centre box office offers full service box office support for your event — wherever you hold it.

Your ticket buyers may buy online 24/7, or speak to one of our friendly, knowledgeable staff members by phone or in person. Staff is ready to help five days a week, with a minimum of six hours of support each day.

Your event will be listed on the Oakville Centre website as soon as it goes on sale (sometimes before). You will be provided with space to treat your interested customers to a video clip of your event and link to your website for background on the event or your organization.

Sales reports are made available to you by request, or online with your own login and password, so that you may check ticket sales any time of the day or night.

Your ticket buyers may choose to have tickets mailed to them, held for pickup at the event or delivered to their or someone else's email inbox.

For more information, please contact:

Rental Coordinator

905-338-4161, ext. 3204

RentTheCentre@oakville.ca

The following marketing and promotional services are included in the cost of your rental of The Oakville Centre:

  • Event listing on the electronic message board at Lakeshore and Navy Street two weeks prior to the event
  • An event listing in our upcoming events section
  • An event listing in the Live at the Oakville Centre monthly electronic newsletter (to approximately 2,300 email subscribers)
  • Promotion through our social media platforms, including re-tweeting, sharing and liking Facebook posts initiated by your event
  • Box office event racks - where available flyers for performances at OCPA can be delivered to the Centre’s Marketing department for distribution in the racks. This is subject to available space.  Please do not put flyers into the racks yourself.

Due to confidentiality legislation, any requests to mail or email promotional material to patrons from the Oakville Centre’s official database will be reviewed and must be approved by the theatre.

Additional marketing support

Other promotional opportunities are available for an additional cost. Review the Additional Marketing Opportunities for Rental Clients (pdf) document for details.

If you have any questions or requests for our marketing department, please contact: 

Ronnie Brown
Marketing Coordinator
905-338-4161, ext. 3200
ronnie.brown@oakville.ca

A technical supervisor is provided with every booking. Additional technical staff may be arranged through the technical office with two weeks prior notice. Additional equipment and gobos can be provided with two weeks’ notice at an additional charge.

Visit the AEG Liebherr Auditorium and Studio Theatre pages for technical information for each space. 

For AutoCad versions of the theatre drawings, please email TechOCPA@oakville.ca

Policies and procedures

Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts (OCPA) will ensure that a balance of community and curated professional programming is offered to create a service-oriented, community–based, financially sustainable operation while responding to the town’s commitment to supporting the performing arts.

The OCPA, in its planning and daily operations, shall abide by all relevant municipal, provincial and federal legislative requirements.

Accessibility

  • Persons needing wheel chair access to the stage should contact the theatre in advance of booking the theatre.

Fire, pyrotechnics and smoking

  • The use of flammable solvents, open flame, or fire is not allowed on the premises without written permission from the Oakville Fire department.
  • Any production planning on using pyrotechnics must contact the technical office a minimum of two weeks (four weeks is recommended) prior to the load in of the production. The Authority Having Jurisdiction in Oakville is the Oakville Fire department.
  • Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises. This includes the use of e-cigarettes or smoking written in a script as part of a play. Fake or unlit cigarettes should be used in their place.

Live animals

Productions intending to use live animals in a performance must obtain a permit from the Town of Oakville. 

For more information, contact ServiceOakville 905-845-6601 or service@oakville.ca.

Technical services

  • Any production planning on using auxiliary power must contact the technical department at least two weeks prior to the load in so that an electrician and ESA permits can be arranged. (AEG Liebherr Auditorium only.)
  • Any production planning on flying any scenic elements must provide details to the technical office at least two weeks prior to the load in. There is no fly system in the Studio Theatre. 
  • The Oakville Centre will not fly performers in the AEG Liebherr Auditorium. If you are considering flying performers, contact the Oakville Centre immediately.
  • A working technical supervisor is provided with every booking. Additional technical staff maybe arranged through the technical office with two weeks prior notice.
  • Additional equipment and gobos can be provided with two weeks’ notice at an additional charge.
  • For use of one of our pianos, we require two weeks’ notice to arrange tuning.

Before and after your performance

  • The auditorium must be completely cleared of all personnel 30 minutes prior to the performance. The Technical Supervisor will act as liaison with the House Manager to open the house and will be notified by the House Manager when the house is in.
  • All belongings, set pieces and equipment must be removed at the end of the booking unless cleared with the technical department one week in advance. Additional costs may be incurred for storage.

Building access

  • All cast and crew are asked to enter and exit through the stage door at the Southwest corner of the building.
  • The stage door will be locked 15 minutes prior to the start of the performance. Alternatively clients can post security personnel at the stage door to control access.

Food and beverages

  • Alcoholic beverages are permitted only in licensed areas of the building. Not in the dressing rooms or on stage.  Your audience may take alcoholic beverages into the auditorium unless you advise us otherwise.
  • Cast and crew are not permitted food and beverages on stage or in the auditorium. Water is allowed.

Operation of equipment

  • Only personnel authorized by the technical supervisor are permitted to operate Oakville Centre equipment; including the fly system and scissor lift. The fly system is only available in the AEG Liebherr Auditorium.

Recording and internet access

  • Videotaping of performances must take place in prearranged locations in the auditorium or Studio. Cameras must remain in a fixed location at all times when there is an audience in the room.
  • Wireless internet access is available in the building at no charge. It is subject to the internet access policy of the Town of Oakville and can be restrictive.
  • The Oakville Centre requires that a house announcement be made at the start of every show stating that the use of flash photography and recording devices is strictly prohibited as well as a reminder to silence all electronic devices.

Safety and PPE

  • All touring crew and stagehands are required to wear safety foot ware on stage and in the loading areas during all load in, set up and strike times. Other PPE as necessary may be issued by the Supervisor on duty.
  • Smoking is not permitted anywhere on the premises. This includes the use of e-cigarettes  or smoking written in a script as part of a play. Fake or unlit cigarettes should be used in their place.
  • Stage crew must be able to be clear the fire curtain line within three minutes at any time during an event.

Set design and decoration

  • Nailing, screwing or stapling to the stage floor is prohibited.
  • Bulletin boards have been provided for displaying notices throughout the building. Notices taped to painted surfaces will be removed.

Forms and applications

Please email RentTheCentre@oakville.ca if you would like an Excel version of the Ticket Price calculation file.

Spaces for rent

AEG Liebherr Auditorium

Capacity   485 people

Auditorium technical details

Studio Theatre

Capacity   120 people

Studio theatre technical details