Dunedin mayoralty candidates at a forum hosted by Stage South last night had differing visions for how best to help the city’s performing arts sector thrive, but they were fairly clear a holding pattern should not continue.
Cr Carmen Houlahan wanted the Dunedin City Council to make decisions about what should be done with the former Sammy’s and Fortune Theatre venues.
Mandy Mayhem-Bullock suggested Sammy’s could be what the city needs for a youth space.
Cr Lee Vandervis pushed for redevelopment of the Mayfair Theatre in South Dunedin.
He also advocated for the council and the University of Otago to use their joint clout to foster an upscaled performing arts industry.
Cr Sophie Barker wanted the council to deliver on the strategies it had written.
Cr Jules Radich said there was a disconnect between the council and the performing arts sector.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins asked for the community to continue to reject the politics of austerity, to enable investment to occur where it was needed.
Pamela Taylor pushed for development of a theatre on the waterfront.
Money could be diverted for that cause from spending on cycleways, she said.
The Sammy’s building in Crawford St was bought in 2017.
The professional Fortune Theatre in Stuart St closed in 2018, and Stage South was set up that year to foster and promote the sustainability of professional theatre in Otago and Southland.
Dampness has been a problem at the former Fortune Theatre and issues at Sammy’s include asbestos and a need for seismic strengthening.
Richard Seager was one candidate who said the old Fortune Theatre was going to waste. He suggested selling Sammy’s.
Both venues have sat empty while the council has had discussions and engaged with consultants about options for developing a mid-sized theatre.
The value the city got from its $300,000 bill to consultancy Charcoalblue was mostly lamented by candidates, although Mr Hawkins said some valuable information was obtained.
He did not agree with the Charcoalblue conclusions and argued different solutions might be needed for live music and performing arts.
Bill Acklin said Sammy’s was a fantastic place to perform, but the council needed to figure out what it was trying to achieve.
