Ballarat venues will share in a new $9 million round of grants to keep live music alive in Victoria.
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The first tranche of recipients for the Victorian Live Music Venues Program was announced on Sunday, part of a $13 million commitment to live music across the state.
Out of the 106 venues listed, Ballarat's Hop Temple, The Eastern, Volta, Main Bar and Trades Hall will all receive grants, totalling a $395,000 injection to the city's economy.
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Volta's owner Zac Hill said it was amazing to be getting additional support.
"For a regional live music venue, it makes a massively significant difference to our future," he said.
"We've been making plans about what we're going to do in the leadup to reopening in November - the second we're able to open, we definitely will be."
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At Trades Hall, the grant money will be used to upgrade audio and lighting equipment - secretary Brett Edgington said the cash will be spent with local businesses to help local artists get back on stage, as well as continuing online livestreams.
"We'd been doing live music on Fridays and Saturdays before the pandemic, and (the grant) allows that program to continue," he said.
"At the point we can start welcoming audiences back, we'll have studio quality audio and lighting to support and encourage local musos and artists out of what has been a difficult time for them."
The Eastern's Matt Stone said the boost will help the venue survive until at least the end of the year.
"This will cover the bills and hopefully get us back to square one," he said.
"We're really keen to get some music going, we've just got to figure out a way to do it - as soon as we can get it going, we'll be getting it going."
He said he wanted to thank the community for their support, including everyone who pitched in for free to spruce the place up during lockdown, and said though it could take a vaccine to get a mosh going again, he was keen for shows to begin in the venue's spacious outdoor area.
A state government media release states "the grants will support venues that have closed to help stop the spread of coronavirus to cover urgent overheads and put COVID safe measures in place".
"They will also assist venues to reopen and host events when it is safe to do so, providing employment for artists, promoters, technicians and other workers, (and) will also help offset costs associated with enforcing patron caps," it continues.
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The state government will also help councils to implement planning controls for live music, and an additional $3 million will support arts organisations and industry workers.
Under Victoria's roadmap to reopening, indoor live music venues can reopen at the Last Step, on November 23, with density quotients and patron caps in place.
Patron caps will be lifted when the state moves to COVID Normal.
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