This August, Geelong's live music scene gains a vital new home. Church is an intimate performance venue built for independent artists – meticulously restored, professionally supported and launching with an inaugural slate of gigs that sets the tone for what's to come.
Breathing new life into a restored 1800s church on Ryrie Street, Church will present a broad program of intimate live music, stand-up, pop-up performances, album launches, new original works, storytelling experiences and artistic collaborations. Live music sits at the heart of Church's identity – an important response to a gap in the region's cultural landscape.
The venue has undergone significant restoration and upgrade works, including structural improvements, acoustic treatment, and a complete internal fit-out, bringing the space to a full professional standard while preserving the integrity of its historic fabric.
Geelong Arts Centre’s CEO and Creative Director, Rhys Holden said: “Geelong's independent music and arts scene is bursting with talent, and Church gives that talent somewhere to truly call home. This is something we have wanted to create for a long time – a genuinely accessible, artist-led space where independent performers can take risks, build audiences, and grow their practice. It's an intimate room made for live performance in all its raw glory, and we are proud to open its doors to Geelong's creative community."
Emerging indie-folk artist and Geelong local, Madeliene Cope said: “Having a space like Church in Geelong is huge for local artists. It gives us the freedom to create events that genuinely reflect who we are and bring our ideas to life exactly as we imagine them. Launching my EP here feels incredibly special, and I'm so excited to be part of everything this space is set to become."
The venue takes its name – and its spirit – from the historic 1800s structure it calls home. Once a place of worship, later a restaurant, and more recently a rehearsal space that hosted the likes of Guy Pearce, Rachel Griffiths and the Woolly Jumpers (an early iteration of Geelong's own Ibsen Award-winning Back to Back Theatre), the building has long held a special place in the life of this city. In restoring and reopening it, Geelong Arts Centre is returning the venue to the community it has long served, reimagined for a new generation of gatherings.
Central to Church's model is a commitment to affordability . No upfront costs will be charged to independent artists hiring the space, with Geelong Arts Centre also providing operational expertise, and marketing and ticketing support so that artists are free to focus on their work.
To mark its official opening, Church welcomes Aussie rockers Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers for a rare intimate gig within its hallowed walls on Friday 14 August. Hailing from Canberra, the four-piece have built a fierce following on the strength of their high-voltage live show and a run of releases that have earned them comparisons to the great Australian rock acts of generations past. Surf Coast-raised folk-rock singer-songwriter Jasmin Adria and surf-rock trio The Shore will kick-off the night.
The following day, the precinct comes alive for Bless This Mess – an afternoon of free gigs by six local artists to celebrate the space and the community it was built for on Saturday 15 August.
A full roster of artists will then take the stage through August and September as part of Church's first run of gigs. The slate has been curated by Andrew Orvis, Geelong Art Centre’s Senior Producer – Music, whose deep connections across Geelong's music community and beyond have shaped a debut season that spans genre, career stage and geography.
Darcie Haven brings her emotionally raw songwriting and a rapidly growing online following to one of her most intimate gigs to date; Tyne James Organ strips things back to keys and voice in a format tailor-made for the Church room; Lotte Gallagher, one of Australia's most quietly compelling emerging singer-songwriters, also heads to town; and the genre-blurring Tjaka promise to have Church dancing with their fusion of electronic beats, hip hop and First Nations culture.
Geelong's own Madeleine Cope will share new music at Church with her intimate EP launch, while Surf Coast local Immy Owusu brings a distinctive blend of Afrobeat, world music and psychedelic influence to the program and Bellarine-based singer-songwriter Nathan Seeckts bolsters a homegrown contingent that reflects the remarkable depth and diversity of talent the region has to offer.
Church has been enabled through the generosity of philanthropic supporters and to date has raised $3 million toward the overall $3.3 million campaign target.
Powered by artists, producers and believers, Church is operated by Geelong Arts Centre and proudly supported by the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
Tickets to Church’s first run of gigs are on sale from Tuesday 7 July. Sign up to Church’s mailing list for exclusive pre-sale access on Monday 6 July.
For full line-up details and dates visit churchgeelong.com.au
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