Then there’s the cultural vibrancy Meeniyan Town Hall gigs bring to South Gippsland, the sense of good things going on here that are worthwhile and rewarding. 

“A live performance can do so much more than anything on a device can ever do,” Suzanne says. “It touches the soul like nothing else. People are telling us they can’t wait to have that feeling back in their lives again, because its absence has made them realise how much it’s meant to them.”
Ian is particularly concerned about the impact on local musicians. “Even in good times they get little enough money for what they do for our society. Now they’re getting nothing, and the government is not even seeing fit to give them the slightest assistance in recognition of their particular circumstances.” 

Ian’s great worry is that the experience will damage a lot of very talented musicians so badly that they just won’t come back to the industry. “I have incredibly talented friends who’ve done this for decades, given so much and basically lived on the fringes because they get so little in return, and now even that’s stopped, and they’re shattered.” 

Considering that live performances could be amongst the last things that get back to “normal,” postCOVID, can Lyrebird come back? Ian says it’s a tough question, and the answer is not clear. “We rely strongly on presenting touring overseas artists, and it could be a long time before they’re travelling freely into the country again.” 

So, what could that mean for a venue renowned for the quality of its performances? “The challenge as we’ve always seen it is to get the best performers into that room that we can, and present them in the best way possible for them and the audience. Our point of difference is the overseas artists we attract and the high production values we offer them. If we can’t do that then it changes who we are and what we do, and we might not want to do that.” 

Suzanne agrees that Lyrebird has a lot to think about: “We might have to reinvent ourselves for a little while when it comes to the types of shows we can present, or we might decide to sit it out for a little longer than some other local venues in order to return as we left – great shows with great artists you just won’t see in any other setting like this.”

Could government help? Ian and Suzanne don’t expect much, if anything. Suzanne says governments in Australia don’t get the arts: “Unless it’s the elite companies – the ballet, opera and so on – they don’t understand its value, and goodwill is just not enough.” 

Ian believes this is particularly the case with anything labelled ‘community’. “The overwhelming view from government is that ‘community’ means small, volunteer-run and not really worthy of the type of support given to professional for-profit companies and events. 

“We don’t need funding at the moment because we are not running. But if and when we fire up again, then yes, help definitely would be good.” 

Disappointingly, Ian says he never expects support to come from local government. “They seem to believe their arts budget is better placed in the visual arts precincts in small community villages. Music in South Gippsland is a poor cousin.” Not for the fans who flock to Meeniyan Town Hall. 

Tony Walker Fish Creek

Reprinted from justcommunitysg newsletter with permission