Archives

Since 1977, the University of Melbourne has housed La Mama’s archives within their own archiving system. This includes an extensive collection of over 200 boxes of documents, approximately 30 albums of 3000 black and white photographs, and drawers of posters advertising La Mama productions.

These archives are accessible for researchers through the University’s Reading Room in the Baillieu Library.

Over five decades, La Mama has gathered hundreds of scripts, programs, posters, postcards, flyers, show reviews and articles; receipts, funding proposals, bookings’ books, financial ledgers, correspondence, and so much more. In the near future, the 3000 black and white photographs will be available for viewing on the University of Melbourne Archives website, and by links from AusStage. With the generous assistance of the Staff from the University of Melbourne Archives, a digital system of La Mama’s archiving is currently under development.

Unfortunately, due to the tragic fire in 2018, two years of Production files and Administration documents that would have been eventually archived were lost. With the generous assistance of the Staff from the University of Melbourne Archives, a digital system of archiving is being developed as we adjust to this new technology.