The ACT Government’s ambition is for Canberra to become the arts capital of Australia, but Lexi Sekuless, actor-producer and former federal arts advisor, believes that without funding, the curtain could come down on the performing arts. Theatregoing has not yet recovered since COVID, and the government invests in infrastructure rather than in performers.

“There is an absence of proper program funding for the creative industries here in the ACT … and an absolute addiction to infrastructure funding,” Ms Sekuless said.

Ms Sekuless, owner of the Mill Theatre at Dairy Road, has called on ACT political candidates to commit, if elected, $2.4 million over four years to fund Canberra’s four private theatre venues: Canberra Rep, ACT Hub, Smith’s Alternative, and her own theatre.

Although none of these venues are subsidised by the government, Ms Sekuless argues that they create jobs and contribute to the economy through arts tourism.

The sum she seeks, she says, is “an incredibly modest investment which would result in increased arts activity and increased funding and support for the actual people making art here in Canberra”.

Through the ACT Arts Fund, the government provides $9 million to 29 Canberra arts and cultural organisation and arts centres (the four independent theatre venues are not among them), and $1 million for arts activities grants (principally visual arts).

The arts allocation in this year’s budget largely funds “upgrades to this arts centre or infrastructure changes to that art centre”, Ms Sekuless said, such as the Canberra Theatre project ($42 million), the Kingston Arts Precinct ($80 million), and upgrading Gorman House Arts Centre ($7.9 million), Tuggeranong Arts Centre ($2 million), and other local arts facilities ($1.7 million).

“Venues are costly, but the mere existence of a venue doesn’t ensure creative activity in a city,” Ms Sekuless said.

“That doesn’t have any impact whatsoever at all on the creative industries. The decision makers [need to] understand they have to stop allocating funds for things that don’t generate and don’t push along the creative economy.

“If we are to enhance, or even sustain, the creative life of the National Capital, funding must go to those who create the performance, those who produce it, sing at it, dance in it, light it, manage it.”

Ms Sekuless started the Mill Theatre two years ago: plays like The Shoe-Horn Sonata received rave reviews, and its last production, Terror, was sold out.

“People come out [of a show] and say that was like the most professional thing they had seen, they can’t believe we’re local,” Ms Sekuless said. “All of that is going very well.”

Nevertheless, Ms Sekuless believes that if government funding does not eventuate, venues might struggle on, but the standard of their offering will be lesser. Key people might leave organisations and go elsewhere, as the venues might not be able to maintain the same calibre as when there was funding, or even the hope of funding.

“It changes the quality, ultimately, and it pushes people who do this as a job to do other jobs, or to leave Canberra.”

For her part, Ms Sekuless says she might have to begin a “slow and controlled” exit strategy, and close the Mill Theatre within two years. She recently secured a principal sponsor in Willard Public Affairs; their support plus the Mill’s partnership with Elite Event Technology are “phenomenal”, but Ms Sekuless does not have enough money to pay herself a salary or to employ a general manager. She would need to sell 80 per cent capacity at every single show.

“If every show sold out, then things would be going fantastically.”

But Canberra audiences are still reluctant to return to the theatre after COVID. During the pandemic, the ACT’s theatre revenue fell by 82 per cent, and attendance by 77 per cent, according to the ABC.

“I personally believe it won’t come back,” Ms Sekuless said. “This is the new normal. People are set in their habits now. Those who did go to the theatre twice a month now only go once, and that is being consolidated because of the cost-of-living crisis.”

Indeed, across Australia, only four in 10 venues have rebuilt their audiences to pre-COVID levels, and audiences are spending less.

“COVID has certainly left its mark, and that mark was fear of the unknown,” say Anne Somes (Free-Rain Theatre), Jarrad West (Everyman Theatre), and Karen Vickery (Chaika Theatre), who collectively founded ACT Hub, Canberra’s first venue dedicated solely to producing independent theatre, in 2021.

For 2022 and 2023, the first two years after the lockdown, ACT Hub’s audiences remained static – a problem exacerbated by the economic downturn. People had little income to spend on the entertainment sector; those most likely to attend theatre were people over 55 who had a disposable income. But there is a silver lining: this year, their audience numbers have increased by a third.

“It has taken huge perseverance, the capacity to be flexible, the determination to adjust to succeed which has assisted ACT Hub turning the corner,” the collective said. “ACT Hub has garnered critical acclaim for the quality of the work we produce.”

ACT Hub supported Ms Sekuless’s call for more funding.

“We strongly believe that independent theatre venues such as ACT Hub and the Mill have already shown the resilience which is required to surmount what has been for other theatre companies an impossible task,” the collective said. “We accept that things will not go back to pre-COVID times, and we must be well prepared.

“The funding model which Lexi has outlined will ensure work for ACT-based creatives; artists; production personnel; ongoing regular casual employment for bar and box office staff.

“ACT Hub, the Mill, Canberra Repertory, and Smith’s Alternative have already shown they have the capacity to go through times of genuine hardship. It is a very real struggle which has seen the demise of long-established interstate companies who found the struggle too great. We are still here, and are ready to build the reputation of performing arts in the ACT.”

In the longer term, Ms Sekuless believes that government-funded organisations must be mandated to co-produce shows with the independent sector. Canberra Theatre and the Street Theatre, however, will not do partnerships, she says. This lack of collaboration, she believes, is a problem for theatres: in a healthy ecosystem, Terror would have transferred to a bigger theatre so that more people could see it.

ACT Labor and Canberra Liberals

“No-one ever announces arts at an election,” Ms Sekuless protested; but she believes an arts announcement could gain candidates as many as 100 votes in their electorate – possibly enough to win that seat.

Arts minister Tara Cheyne said that ACT Labor would outline its election platform over the coming months.

Although ACT Labor was noncommittal, other political candidates were more encouraging.

Nicole Lawder MLA, shadow minister for arts, said the Canberra Liberals could not make an arts announcement at this time, but recognised the contributions of artists and artistic venues.

“The Canberra Liberals have always supported the hard work, dedication, and talent of Canberra’s private theatre programming and producing venues as a part of Canberra’s vibrant arts and culture scene,” Ms Lawder said.

“The Canberra Liberals understand the critical distinction between infrastructure funding and arts funding, and we recognise the importance of directing funds to the creative side to foster artistic growth and innovation.”

Independents for Canberra

Independents for Canberra candidate Sara Poguet said she had discussed the issue with Ms Sekuless, and agreed that it was essential to support the creative industries.

“Sufficient support is needed to ensure Canberra provides fertile soil for a thriving community into the future,” Ms Poguet said.

“We’re hearing from creatives across the ACT who are seriously concerned about the viability of their industries.

“It’s worrying seeing venues closing down and music festivals being cancelled. The rising costs of insurance coupled with reduced consumer spending in the wake of the pandemic are creating challenging circumstances for local artists and venues.

“Often, it’s the passion and determination of a handful of artists and venue managers that can make or break a local industry. We need our government to get behind local venues and individuals with a proven track record in supporting our artists.

“We need a government that partners with you, that looks for opportunities to collaborate, and that shows both agility and creativity in responding to emerging challenges.

“I’ve met with Ms Sekuless to discuss the opportunities offered by adopting an ambitious new approach to public-private sector collaboration in the creative industries. We at Independents for Canberra believe all options need to be on the table to provide a flourishing future for the arts.

“We have to be there for our creative industries if we want them to be there for us.”

Strong Independents

The Strong Independents – Peter Strong AM, the former owner of Smith’s Alternative Bookshop, and Ann Bray AM – supported Ms Sekuless’s call to fund private theatre venues.

“Great letter and great idea,” Mr Strong said. “We met with Lexi, and are working on our policy for her sector. We know others support her views.

“The request from Ms Sekuless shows we should build on our strengths. The professional side of the arts has been ignored for too long. We need facilities, and we need support for locals.

“What could happen is that Canberra becomes known for the support it provides two parts of the arts: the talented committed amateurs who do performances for fun, for friendship, and for health. Then we have the business side, those who make a living from the arts, hopefully from full-time work or at least a decent income from a part-time business or part-time work. The business side will provide jobs and incomes, and further the health of the community.”

The Strong Independents believe that Canberra could become the hub of the performing arts in regional NSW.

“The ACT, the Canberra Polis, is full of talented artists – performers, directors, musicians, singers, painters, sculptors, poets, photographers, writers, caricaturists and the list goes on.

“We know local drummers, actors, playwrights, guitarists and writers who make money from their trade. But so often not enough money, and so we end up with not enough people in this sector.

“There could be as many as 5,000 public servants and health workers and teachers who also perform in bands and plays and paint and write and would love to do that as a living.

“Can we be the centre of the arts? We would provide a place for those from our own territory but also for those from places like Wagga Wagga and further into the Riverina, Goulburn, the South Coast, the Snowies, even up to Dubbo and Orange. There are all the places in-between those centres. It was in little Grenfell that Henry Lawson was born…

“We also call, as a start, for the ACT to have its own Poet Laureate. We have a history of great poets so why not?

“Let’s support our artists – we have more to come.”