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North Queensland arts community calls for #Artsban as Council pulls $150 million funding

The 40-year fight for a purpose-built concert hall in Townsville has once again hit a dead end and tempers are boiling.

23 Aug 2024 11:33

Celina Lei

Architectural render of Townsville Concert Hall. A view from outdoor of a concert hall building in sunny Townsville. Arts funding now gone.

Performing Arts

Architectural render of the proposed Townsville Concert Hall. Image: Supplied.

On Thursday 22 August, ArtsHub received a statement from Australian Festival of Chamber Music (AFCM) Executive Director, Ricardo Peach, expressing disappointment at the Townsville City Council and Mayor Troy Thompson’s decision to pull back on funding that had been designated for a purpose-built concert hall and theatre.

According to Peach, such facilities currently do not exist “anywhere north of Brisbane in the entire north of Australia”.

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Celina Lei

Celina Lei is ArtsHub's Content Manager. She has previously worked across global art hubs in Beijing, Hong Kong and New York in both the commercial art sector and art criticism. She took part in drafting NAVA’s revised Code of Practice - Art Fairs and was the project manager of ArtsHub’s diverse writers initiative, Amplify Collective. Celina is based in Naarm/Melbourne. Instagram @lleizy_