However, there was not quite complete agreement about even this at a Dunedin City Council meeting this week.
Two visions have been prominent so far.
One would involve the council providing further financial help to a network of three community theatre venues to upgrade heritage buildings. The other would lead to a new building for performing arts.
A concept for the Regent Theatre in the Octagon was also in the mix, council staff said in a report for the meeting.
"Staff have worked to bring these groups together to discuss a future collective vision for Dunedin’s performing arts venue requirements."
Cr Jim O’Malley reached for a biblical analogy on Tuesday at the meeting.
"If they come back and make us do a King Solomon, I’m just going to cut the baby in half," he said.
"We cannot be the arbiters of groups that can’t come to an agreed-upon position on how they want the council to assist."
Cr Steve Walker said groups should be on notice general consensus was needed.
If compromise was required, the groups needed to wrestle with this, he said.
The comments came after a presentation from the Dunedin Theatre Network about redevelopment concepts for the Mayfair and Playhouse theatres and the Athenaeum building.
The council has been grappling with theatre space needs since the closure of the professional Fortune Theatre company in 2018.
It has sometimes been argued a new theatre should be built, as it could more feasibly suit the needs of professional practitioners.
What to do about theatre space looks set to be a key issue in the council’s draft 2025-34 long-term plan.
Cr Christine Garey said she believed the performing arts sector was close to arriving at a united plan and this could involve some compromise and further collaboration.
This could provide a path forward for possible council investment, Cr Garey said.
"If they don’t do that, we will have to do that for them."
Cr Lee Vandervis said the council needed to get on with making a decision, instead of delegating this responsibility to other groups.
"It’s our decision — not theirs," he said.
Cr Vandervis believed redevelopment of the Mayfair Theatre should be the top priority.
