Definitely one of the best (if not the largest) cultural centres in Cape Town. The brutal Apartheid-era architecture of the city’s main theatre complex conceals some of its best-equipped spaces. There’s considerable competition from the 5,000-seater Grand Arena at the Grand West Casino, but that’s hardly a space for any sort of genuine cultural endeavour, which in turn makes Artscape the obvious destination for international quality musicals (most of Lloyd Webber’s blockbusters have been staged here) as well as a of number of large scale homegrown productions. Besides its main 1,500-seat opera space (completely refurbished in 2009), the building shelters a decent mid-sized theatre where most local dramas and smaller musicals are staged, as well as the tucked-away Arena Theatre, often showcasing the country’s best cutting-edge, experimental performances.