‘A superb place to sit and enjoy': Ballarat church could be reborn as performing arts hub — if artists can raise $2m

The Guardian

a day ago

Hundreds of people packed the pews of the main chapel of Ballarat's Neill Street Uniting church for its final service in February 2023. But some in the congregation, which had been meeting on the site since it began as a Methodist church in 1861, could already see its next life.
Jill Loveland, whose family's involvement with the church dates back to the late 1800s, says her father, Winston Loveland – who was an active member of the church for 96 years – always said the space should be used for performing arts.
'He knew there were lots of buildings to maintain and that it would become unsustainable at some point,' Loveland says. 'So he openly expressed that he thought it would become a wonderful performing arts venue long before there was talk of the church closing.
'He could see how the acoustics of the main church and the beautiful interior were just superb for a place to sit and enjoy.'
When the church came up for sale, a group of local creatives saw it as an opportunity to form an association aimed at supporting and developing the local performing arts scene. And so the Ballarat Performing Arts Community was born.
'Members of the church community didn't want to see it sold privately,' says Bpac's general manager, Beth Lamont. 'They were really hoping to see it continue as a community space and they were fully in support of arts organisations using it.
'It just so happens that all of the arts organisations want to use it.'
Lamont says the association approached the church and successfully secured a licence agreement in July 2024. Since then, the site has become a community hub for about 20 creative organisations and more than 90 individuals.
The Neill Street site has one church, two halls, a caretaker's cottage and 3,000 sq m of land. Its main chapel boasts a 19th-century Fincham and Hobday pipe organ and is one of the largest organs in Ballarat. The space is now being used for performances, mentoring, galas and events.
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But once the lease expires in February 2026, the property will again go up for private sale. 'The church has a lot of properties and they're hoping to consolidate,' Lamont says.
Bpac is on a mission to raise $2m to secure the future of its home base through a dedicated crowdfunding appeal. So far, it has raised just $38,000.
The organisation is asking people to pledge to make a contribution after the appeal ends on 31 October – but only if it receives enough pledges to make the full amount.
Jeff Moran, a board member and appeal director, says they are approaching clubs, advertising, campaigning to government and philanthropic institutions and staging galas and events to help raise the funds.
'The church has said we'll let you lease it on the understanding that after the lease period we purchase it for a stated price of $2m,' Moran says. 'In good faith, we're setting out to raise it.
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'Every dollar counts. We need to be known in the community. We've got to do absolutely everything and as far and wide as we can.'
Loveland says if the property was to stand vacant, it ran the risk of becoming derelict and falling into disrepair.
'The developer could make use of it, but at what cost? How long would it take … given there was no sign of interest during the first round?' she says. 'I think good on Bpac for giving it their best shot.
'It would be a pity to have so much potential [wasted].'
Tim Ryan, a Bpac board member, says the sites on the property – including the chapel, which seats 300, and the main hall, which seats 150 – would suit organisations seeking more affordable and intimate venues.
'That's a really important part of that fabric of performing arts where you can have that laboratory to try things out and we can do that here,' he says.
'There's this diversity of space which creates this diversity of product.'
The City of Ballarat's community infrastructure plan says the city should investigate the need for a new live performance venue of less than 300 seats.
The city's director of economy and experience, Martin Darcy, says they have been working closely with Bpac about their plans for the church.
'All requests for funding must be assessed through a rigorous process which is either connected to a grants program, budget process or a council-approved action from a strategy,' he says.
He added that the strategy 'outlines council's commitment to support the theatre and performing arts, as well as all creative communities in the city'.
Ryan says Bpac aims to 'be a voice' lobbying for greater support for the performing arts in the regional city.
'There's still lots of work to be done, especially around diversity in the arts, but at least we acknowledge that there's a bit of a gap and we've got to work towards that,' he says