History of our Archives

The Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation Archives began in 1986, when the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation was established with the execution of its Deed of Settlement on 9 October. In this founding document, Dr Rodney Seaborn AO, OBE ensured that the Foundation’s mandate included the broad purpose of “encouraging and promoting performing arts within Australia.” Following the Foundation’s purchase of the Stables Theatre, Dr Seaborn began assembling what would become the Archive and Library, later recalling: “When we started the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation by purchasing the Stables, I also started collecting programmes.” These early efforts built on his personal theatre program collection dating back to the 1920s and 30s. This formed the nucleus of what would become a significant archive and library. Acquired by Dr Rodney Seaborn and Michael Wu in 1981, the former Waratah Hotel was renamed Wattle House and became the first home of the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation Archives. It was at Wattle House that a landmark moment occurred in June 1991, when radio presenter and theatre historian John West addressed a large press gathering to explain his donation of his theatrical archives—an event widely reported and one that helped place the S,B&W Archives on the cultural map.

As the collections continued to grow, Dr Seaborn explored opportunities to strengthen their long-term preservation and increase their value to the wider performing arts community. This led to a collaborative partnership with NIDA around 2001, designed to bring together the Foundation’s well-established archives and NIDA’s developing interest in formal archival practice. Under this arrangement, NIDA provided space to house the S,B&W Archives and Library, while the Foundation appointed its own archivist, Dr Peter Orlovich, and contributed financial support to enhance archival work on site. When NIDA later acquired a larger facility in Alexandria, both organisations’ collections were brought together in improved storage conditions and operated collaboratively to support teaching, research and sector engagement.

In 2009, the S,B&W Foundation Archives relocated independently to new premises in Rosebery, enabling the Foundation to resume full curatorial control and develop dedicated facilities tailored to its expanding performing arts collection.

A final move in 2016 established the Archives in their current, purpose-designed home in Neutral Bay, where they continue to preserve, interpret and share Australia’s performing arts heritage in line with Dr Seaborn’s original vision.