IIt's been more than 30 years since Baz Luhrmann's Strictly Ballroom was filmed at Petersham Town Hall. But earlier this year, an 82-year-old building in Sydney opened its doors for free to classical performances by the Inner West Theater Company.
Built in the early 20th century, the beautiful brick Town Hall was once the venue for city council meetings and awards nights. And country dancing. However, in recent decades, as modern buildings have responded to the changing needs of local communities, many buildings have remained underutilized or completely vacant.
Sydney's Inner West City Council is the product of repeated amalgamations, resulting in a disproportionate number of old city hall buildings that have no clear municipal purpose. Since July, at least seven hire-free arts and culture venues have opened in hopes of reviving old buildings and addressing the crisis in the performing arts sector.
Around 1,300 live music venues across Australia have closed since the coronavirus pandemic, leaving many in the music and arts industries struggling to survive. Sydney has lost respected venues such as Jazz Club 505, and the number of people attending popular venues has almost halved.
of The cost of hiring a commercial venue for rehearsals and the final show can reach as much as $80,000. In the first three months after the council offered the space free of charge, more than 1,100 bookings were made across the country. Marrickville, Petersham, Leichhardt, Annandale, St Peters, Balmain and Ashfield town halls, 72% of which are used for independent theatre, music and dance productions.
Kane Wheatley is the music director of the Inner West Theater Company.
“Having City Hall available for free means we can spend our money putting on great productions and providing affordable theater for local residents who are facing a cost-of-living crisis.” Mr. Wheatley says.
His company has booked two musicals to be performed at Petersham Town Hall in 2025. There is a ticket fee 49 dollars, or We will bear the cost of bringing in the sound and lighting equipment.
“It's a very large town hall and we have a beautiful big front door, which means we can operate out of the front of the house…We have a theater liquor license, so we can also operate a small bar,” Mr Wheatley said.
Mayor Darcy Byrne said providing affordable space for rehearsals, exhibitions and live performances reflects one of City Hall's original functions.
“Most town halls in Australia have traditionally been used for dances, concerts and large-scale events, and in some ways repurposing them as arts and cultural venues is returning to that tradition. '' says Byrne.
Most of Australia's town halls were built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Former Sydney City Council historian Lisa Murray says it was “state of the art” when it opened. Many of the Victorian buildings boast Italianate facades, clock towers, and ornate halls.
But after World War II, city councils began building civic centers to expand services, and in the 1950s there was an “explosion” in city libraries, Murray said. City Hall was no longer the only place for parliamentary business.
Like many similar buildings across the country, Inner West buildings retain Victorian or early 20th century historical features (with the exception of Ashfield, where the Art Deco style did not survive into the 1970s). We have a large performance space with an elaborate stage and commercial kitchen, and are fully equipped for live performance and recording.
“Many of them were designed in an era when people were giving speeches without microphones, so acoustics are difficult,” Byrne says.
“While there may be the necessary acoustic treatment, there is undoubtedly one beautiful building in every town across Australia that is currently significantly underutilized.”
In Victoria, The state government is also investing in the restoration of City Hall to make it fit for modern community purposes. Tiny Towns Fund For local areas.
North of Melbourne (home to over 30 city halls) Clunes is the third largest region in the world. Hepburn Shire Council. The City Hall, built in 1837, was recently restored after the masonry began to crack and the symmetrical façade began to rotate.
Sam Hattam, the city's project manager, said revitalizing the building will encourage local residents to start using the space.
At the council headquarters in Daylesford Town Hall, 30 minutes away. Undergo repair and electrical work later this year. Renovated in 2021, Creswick Town Hall will be used for the newly established folk roots music festival CresFest.
Mr Byrne hopes the momentum of such initiatives will encourage other council regions to consider opening their doors like the Inner West.
“Councils across Australia spend millions of dollars each year on the maintenance and refurbishment of city halls because they have tremendous heritage and civic value,” Mr Byrne said.
“But the truth is that most of them sit empty, dormant and unused 80 or 90 percent of the time. This is just a waste of a great public resource.”
