The Melbourne Recital Centre’s Local Artist Appeal has raised $1 million.

Announced in 2021, the fund is designed to fund performance and commission fees, and to enable MRC to offer payments to artists whose performances at the Centre were cancelled due to COVID.

Melbourne Recital Centre. Image supplied.

The fund also allows for engaging local artists to deliver education programs across Victoria, as well as creating employment and performance opportunities including recordings and digital broadcasts.

MRC said that more than 5,000 individual donors contributed to the fund, many of whom were making their first ever donation to the Centre.

Laila Engle of Syzygy Ensemble said in a statement, “This payment demonstrates that local artists are valued in the musical community and that has an enormous impact for us as an ensemble to continue our creative work. We look forward with hope and excitement to a time we may gather again and share in the joy of live performance.”

Alistaire Bowler, Head of Development at Melbourne Recital Centre said of reaching the ambitious target, “We have been impressed by the generous support of the music-loving community. The past two years has been an...