Horsham Arts Council president Jessica Wilson says the organisation will survive, despite having to postpone its Broadway Showcase originally scheduled for Horsham Town Hall in May.
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Venues across Australia remain shut due to the pandemic. Mrs Wilson said the not-for-profit had been lucky.
"We were able to just call it for the year," she said. "There was no way we could see the show going on in July or August.
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"We had a ripper year last year, and this production was going to be our only one for 2020, so it was always going to be a win-win.
"There was a second set of dates offered to us in October, and we looked at it and realised we would need two months of rehearsals - all while social distancing - we just couldn't see any way we could get on the stage this year.
"We also need to be able to sell tickets to sustain hiring the theatre, so if it can't seat at least 300 people there is no way we can make enough money to stage a production.
"We said to our cast 'We want to keep you all on, but if you don't want to remain a member this year we'll give you a full refund,' and out of about 90 members we only had six people request a refund.
"The committee's voted to move it to next May, which means the production of Les Miserables has been cancelled altogether. We know moving it 12 months later will come with some loss of people, but what else do you do?"
On Thursday June 26, the federal government committed $250 million in grants and loans to the arts industry, to help businesses return productions and tours to performance venues once restrictions lift sufficiently.
Mrs Wilson said the arts council wasn't sure if it qualified for the package.
"We have put in for an Arts Victoria grant that is for community groups around boosting involvement through these times of isolation," she said.
"If we are successful we'll be putting that towards running online workshops, and maybe outsourcing to people who are in the industry to do Zoom sessions, to try and upskill ourselves. Things we've always wanted to do really, but have been too busy to with shows."
The arts council is also renovating its Old Hamilton Road headquarters while without a production to rehearse for.
Art Gallery open again, planning for town hall "well advanced"
Shana Miatke, the Council's Co-ordinator for Performance & Events said to date, there had been no dedicated funding for Local government owned and operated arts facilities.
"State government support has focused grants and loans to the music sector, individual artists, arts business and companies. This includes no access to job keeper for any casual staff," she said.
"It is recognised that the arts, recreation, hospitality and tourism sector has been heavily impacted by the virus. Our small team has continued to provide advice and information via regular e comms updating to the Horsahm arts community, on grant opportunities and updates from the sector.
"We are waiting to see further details about the recently announced Federal Government Arts Package."
The Council reopened Horsham Regional Art Gallery on June 29, and Ms Miatke said the council was working through its decision of when to re-open the Town Hall.
"Planning behind the scenes is well advanced," she said.
The Town Hall and Art Gallery employ nine full-time-equivalent staff, who have been redeployed to other areas of the Council during the pandemic shut down.
Horsham Rural City Council's 2020-21 draft budget - out for comment until Tuesday - proposes to spend $1.47 million on the town hall and art gallery and take in $850,000 in revenue. The council plans to spend $99,000 this financial year on air conditioning works and installing fly lines in the theatre.
A Department of Arts spokesman said information on the federal government grants would be made available in coming weeks.
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Alexander Darling
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
Alexander has been a member of the Wimmera Mail-Times' editorial team since December 2018, covering politics, business and property among other rounds. He is a passionate St.Kilda and rock and roll fan, and has previously worked as a radio reporter in Port Macquarie and Gosford, NSW.
