🎭 Palais Theatre Community Fund
🗓️ Round 12: Closes 4 July
💰palaistheatre.com.au/community-support

Lloyd Jones, a leading figure in the live entertainment industry across Australia and Asia. With decades of experience managing some of the country’s most iconic venues, including Melbourne’s Palais Theatre and Festival Hall, Lloyd shares powerful insights into the role that live venues play in shaping culture, community and memory.

Lloyd begins by sharing a vivid childhood memory of seeing John Farnham perform live at a shopping centre. It was a defining moment, one that sparked a deep and lasting love for live music. That experience helped steer the course of his career, and it speaks to the emotional power of performance to shape identity and inspire future paths. Live music connects people in ways that last a lifetime, and sometimes it only takes one performance to change everything.

As the conversation continues, we dive into the significance of the Palais Theatre, a beloved and historic venue in St Kilda. Lloyd sees venues like the Palais as more than just places to see a show. They are cultural touchstones and living archives. They hold the echoes of performances from decades past, the memories of first concerts, family nights out and community celebrations. They are part of the collective identity of a city and its people.

Preserving these venues comes with challenges. Older buildings require careful maintenance and restoration. Balancing the need for commercial viability with the importance of heritage protection is no easy task. But Lloyd is clear that the two can and must work together. A thriving venue supports not only the artists who perform there but also the local economy. Restaurants, pubs, ride share drivers and small businesses all benefit when a show brings people into the area. A successful night at the theatre ripples out across the entire neighbourhood.

What makes a venue truly special, though, is not just its architecture or its history. It is the people who bring it to life. Lloyd speaks passionately about the front of house teams, the technicians, the ushers and the box office staff. He believes that their enthusiasm and warmth shape the entire experience for patrons. A simple welcome, a shared sense of excitement, a well-organised event – these are the things that turn a good night into a memorable one. A great venue is built on human connection.

One of the most inspiring parts of the episode is Lloyd’s discussion of the Palais Theatre Community Fund. When Live Nation took over operations in 2017, they established a fund that collects 50 cents from every ticket sold and redistributes that money to community organisations and projects in the City of Port Phillip. The impact has been remarkable.

The Fund has supported a wide range of initiatives, from local theatre productions and sporting clubs to creative and environmental projects like producing olive oil from local council trees. The application process is deliberately simple and accessible. Any local group with a great idea that benefits the community can apply. For Lloyd, the measure of success is not in numbers but in stories – the new programs started, the lives touched and the sense of local pride the Fund helps foster.

Lloyd also notes that the Fund helps strengthen the relationship between venue and community. It is not just about giving back. It is about being an active part of the neighbourhood. It turns every ticket sold into a small but meaningful investment in the community’s future.

As the episode wraps up, Lloyd reflects on what makes a venue successful. It is not only the size of the acts or the number of tickets sold. It is the venue’s ability to remain a relevant and welcoming place for everyone. A place where history lives, where new memories are made and where community spirit thrives.

This conversation is a beautiful reminder of the role venues play in our lives. They are more than buildings. They are places of connection, celebration and belonging. Through thoughtful preservation, passionate leadership and community-focused initiatives like the Palais Theatre Community Fund, venues like the Palais will continue to carry the flame of culture and creativity forward for generations to come.