AIS Arena | Australian Institute of Sport

AIS Arena is Canberra's number 1 multi-purpose entertainment and function venue.

AIS Arena was originally named the National Indoor Sports Centre and the inaugural home of the Australian Institute of Sport.

The AIS Arena has hosted everything from Pink, Lady GaGa, Bob Dylan and Stevie Wonder concerts to annual conferences and expos for many national associations, government organisations and industry groups.

As Canberra's largest multi-purpose venue, it is capable of holding concerts, theatre performances, conventions, conferences, gala dinners, expos and indoor sports events, the AIS Arena has a seating capacity of up to 4,200 people.

Don't be fooled by it's size though, the heated indoor venue can also offer intimate concert and theatre capacities for smaller audiences too. By adapting seating, staging and draping, our intimate mode set up creates a great warm atmosphere for the Artist and audience.

Arena capacity

As a venue for your next banquet, the AIS Arena can host dinners for up to 1200 guests. Alternatively, as a cocktail venue the AIS Arena can host 2500.

The AIS Arena also has the capacity for 5200 reserved seating with centre stage, 3450 full reserved seating with stage at one end, or 4264 with reserved seating using permanent and retractable seating plus general admission on floor. Reduced-mode configurations are available as required. Seating numbers can vary depending on final stage size and production requirements of the show; site lines may impede some seats thus reducing capacity. Seating maps are also available.

The AIS Arena carries a SICO Fold n Set stage with tuff deck or carpet deck options, SICO crash barrier and stage risers for front-of-house operation if required. We also have full length black theatre drapes and we carpet the floor for all concerts.

Also located within the AIS Arena is the Slam Dunk Room. The amazing Sports Visitor Centre acts as a grand entrance to the AIS Arena and also houses the:

Marathon Room
Moran Room
Sportex
Sports Visitor Centre Theatrette

Find out more about using the AIS Arena for a concert, tradeshow, conference or gala dinner. Or explore our other venues available for hire.

History

The AIS Arena was opened by the Prime Minister, the Hon Malcolm Fraser, on 26 January 1981. The AIS Arena was originally called the National Indoor Sports Centre and was the inaugural home of the Australian Institute of Sport.

The building was designed by Phillip Cox & Partners. Architectural features include a 1200 tonne suspended concrete panel roof supported by 12 steel masts and 36 mainstay cables. The roof has a span of 100.4 metres. The stadium is partly set into the ground to reduce its scale and to establish a visual connection between the landscape and the mast and cable structure of the roof.