Victorian Government heralds reopening of entertainment venues and cultural attractions

Some of Victoria’s most popular venues welcomed artists back to the stage over the past weekend, with thousands of fans attending live music venues.

Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl was the main attraction as part of the Play On Victoria concert series - presented by the Victorian Government with Arts Centre Melbourne, Frontier Touring/Mushroom Group and Live Nation - with 4,000 fans attending the Saturday evening show.

Regional gigs were also held in Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Halls Gap, Warrnambool, Castlemaine, Archies Creek and Avenel.

With Victoria having moved to Phase C of the Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan, live performances can return to venues across the state, with capacity and density limits in place, tickets for Melbourne’s first big post-lockdown gig sold out in just two-and-a-half minutes

Fans attending events were be asked to show that they had checked in and been vaccinated with a COVID-19 digital certificate displayed through the Service Victoria app. They were also able to present a printed version of their certificate, immunisation history statement or provide evidence of a valid exemption.

Commenting on the Sidney Myer Music Bowl event, Mushroom Group Chief Executive, Matt Gudinski stated “this concert at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, which Mushroom is proud to be a part of, is an important step in getting large scale music live events back up and running in Victoria.”  

Meanwhile, Melbourne’s top public galleries, museums and performance venues are gearing up for a big summer as they re-open their doors to the public.

Victorian Minister for Creative Industries, Danny Pearson was on hand today to announce that the National Gallery of Victoria will welcome visitors back on Wednesday.

Minister Pearson advised “Victoria’s museums, galleries and live performance venues are the envy of the world and support jobs and businesses across the state. It’s great to know we’ll soon be able to get back to our favourite cultural destinations.

“Creative experiences are making a safe comeback in Victoria and it’s fantastic that our favourite sites, like the NGV, will once again be part of our lives.”

When doors reopen, guests will be able to see an important addition to the gallery's collection - an artwork by Berthe Morisot, one of the leading women of French Impressionism who was at the forefront of the movement in Paris in the late nineteenth century.

In addition to the National Gallery of Victoria’s two sites, on the other side of the city State Library Victoria will also reopen its doors to the public on Wednesday.

It follows a busy weekend of cultural offerings with Scienceworks, the Immigration Museum, the Melbourne Museum and ACMI all welcoming their first visitors.

Other reopenings will see the Australian Music Vault at Arts Centre Melbourne reopen from 8th November, Melbourne Recital Centre recommencing its performance program from 12th November and Hamer Hall hosting the Melbourne International Jazz Festival opening night gala on 26th November.

Images: Fans return to Melbourne’s Sidney Myer Music Bowl (top, credit: Frontier Touring/RC Stills/Ian Laidlow [Baker Boy snaps] and the NGV will welcome visitors back on Wednesday (below).