After years of restoration, fundraising and anticipation, Church will open its doors in Geelong this Friday, 14th August, giving the city a new 150-capacity room for live music and independent performance.
Housed inside a carefully renewed 1800s building on Ryrie Street, Church has been designed for gigs that feel close, immediate and a little rough around the edges—in the best possible way. The intimate venue will also host comedy, theatre, dance, storytelling and creative collaborations.
Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers will headline the opening night, with Surf Coast-raised folk-rock singer-songwriter Jasmin Adria and Geelong surf-rock trio The Shore on support duties.
It is most definitely a spirted way to christen the space. Teen Jesus and the Jean Teasers rarely get the chance to play a room this small, making the show a standout opportunity for fans to see the group at close range.
A free celebration of local music
The opening weekend continues on Saturday, 15th August, when Church will host Bless This Mess—a free, all-ages mini festival celebrating the musicians shaping the region’s current sound.
The six-act line-up moves across rock, indie-pop, folk, roots and psychedelic-tinged coastal sounds. Operation Karma will bring its sax-charged take on rock, while Blyss promises a raw, high-energy set. Bellarine alt-rock and indie-pop outfit
Cooldad will join Bells Beach trio Motel Neptune, whose woozy sound carries a distinctly coastal feel. Geelong singer-songwriter Maddie Jackway and Torquay folk and roots-rock artist Will Gibb round out the program.
For Jackway, the afternoon represents more than a chance to play live. “I’m excited and honoured to be sharing the stage with such an incredible group of local artists and musicians as we celebrate the launch of a venue dedicated to supporting independent talent. I’ve been writing some new music that I’m excited to debut in the space, so it should be a really special afternoon.”
Church is generally a standing-room venue, with seating available at selected events, and most shows operate on a general-admission basis. The venue is also wheelchair accessible, with an onsite lift and DDA-compliant toilet in the adjoining Geelong Arts Centre building.
Built around the artist
Church goes beyond being a place to perform, with Geelong Arts Centre’s model focused on supporting independent artists. Presenters will not face upfront venue hire costs and can access technical, production, ticketing and marketing support through the arts centre.
The intention is to remove some of the financial risk attached to putting on live work, particularly for emerging artists and smaller independent acts.
“The opening weekend will bring to life the vision behind Church: an accessible, artist-led space where independent performers can take creative risks, build audiences and develop their practice,” Geelong Arts Centre CEO and Creative Director Rhys Holden said.
“After years of careful restoration, planning and support from our community, it is incredibly exciting to see this room ready to welcome its first artists and audiences.”
The building has undergone structural works, acoustic treatment and a complete internal fit-out, bringing it up to professional performance standards while retaining the character of its historic fabric.
There’s a fully licensed bar serving local favourites and light snacks, while the venue operates entirely cash-free. Church is open to everyone, but is recommended for ages 15 and up, although under-13s must attend with an adult and leave by 11pm.
More gigs are already on the way
Church’s first season will continue through August and September with a program that mixes established names, emerging performers and artists from across Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast.
Darcie Haven will bring her emotionally raw songwriting to one of her most intimate shows yet, while Tyne-James Organ will pare his sound back to keys and voice. Emerging singer-songwriter Lotte Gallagher is also on the bill.
Elsewhere, genre-blurring duo Tjaka will combine electronic beats, hip hop and First Nations culture. The program also includes a Geelong EP launch from Madeliene Cope, Afrobeat and psychedelic sounds from Immy Owusu, and a performance from Bellarine-based singer-songwriter Nathan Seeckts.
Backed by artists, producers, philanthropic supporters and the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria, Church represents a new page for Geelong Arts Centre, and a promising new home for the city’s independent creative scene.
Church officially opens on Friday, 14th August at 71 Ryrie Street, Geelong. Tickets and program details are available here.
