Members of Campbelltown Theatre Group are usually onstage receiving applause at the end of a performance.
Last night, at the November monthly meeting of Campbelltown City Council, they were the ones applauding – vigorously.
The applauding from them started a little earlier, when three of their members took turns to address the council before the matter went to a vote.
All three speakers said they were thankful to council for listening to their pleas to reconsider a plan of management of the town hall theatre that could have been potentially an existential threat to the theatre group and other not for profit community groups that use the heritage listed venue.
The theatre group have been campaigning vigorously against the council plans, including running a petition that was signed by more than 1,200 people.
Last night, though, it was all about the council response, which was welcome by Campbelltown Theatre Group as a good starting point.
Councillors were asked to vote on a recommendation to endorse a 50 per cent reduction on the 2025/2026 financial year community hire rates for the Town Hall Theatre for” locally based, not-for-profit arts and cultural groups and organisations within the Macarthur region that are registered and unfunded.’’
The multi part recommendation also sought endorsement for the exhibition of the Town Hall Theatre rate reduction for 28 days for the financial year 2025/2026.
“Should no negative public submissions be received by the conclusion of the exhibition period, the proposed rate reduction be considered adopted as at that date.’’
A third part said that if any negative public submissions were received during the exhibition period, a further report on the outcome of the exhibition be presented to council for its consideration.
The fourth part of the proposal asked council to endorse the use of the Town Hall Theatre during “council nominated off peak available times to unfunded, volunteer run, locally based not-for-profit registered arts and cultural organisations. Venue hire fees will be waived for selected applicants by the Expression of Interest (EOI) process, whose activities align with Campbelltown City Council’s priorities as outlined in Creative Campbelltown 2024–2030 Cultural Strategy.’’
When Mayor Darcy Lound put it to the vote, every councillor’s hand up for the “ayes’’, which led to the vigorous applause from the packed public gallery.
And while the members of the Campbelltown Theatre Group left reasonably happy with the outcome, as the three speakers made clear, there was still work to do to secure a long term deal.
“We have a series of questions that we will be asking during this process,’’ said the first speaker, Angela Cascarino, who has been involved with Campbelltown Theatre Group for 33 years.
“We want to ensure that this is a long term solution that is part of a genuine desire to build the performing arts in the area, and is not just a quick fix with minimal consultation and support for a community that has been a part of the strategic development of the arts for not just five years, but 70.’’