As a Canberra-based actor, director and producer with more than a decade of industry experience, Lexi Sekuless is no stranger to adversity.
But the pandemic pushed her to breaking point.
"I tried to make a live stream production and people were really trying to find ways to make sure that live could still happen," she said.
"But, ultimately, they were just flirtations with different mediums."
Australia's arts industry, already in a parlous position before 2020, was among the hardest hit.
That year alone, the live entertainment industry lost an estimated $1.4 billion in revenue as a result of COVID-19.
The ACT was among the worst affected, with revenue plummeting 82 per cent and attendance 77 per cent.
"It wasn't safe to gather as a community and that was just the nature of the pandemic," Ms Sekuless said.
"But theatre is a communal experience."
In February 2021, Ms Sekuless was offered a job in the public service, advising then-federal arts minister Paul Fletcher.
"I saw it as an opportunity to try and bring government and the creative industries closer together because they traditionally behave like enemies," she said.
"The stability that [the public service] brings, that's got benefits. But ... it was hard to not feel trapped."
In June of this year, as Australia adjusted to the COVID-safe "new normal" and the new Albanese government settled in, Ms Sekuless found herself, once again, without work.
But this time, she was optimistic about the future.
"Even before the pandemic, I was interested in having my own four walls and having my own space," she said.
Within weeks, and thanks to the creative community evolving at Fyshwick's Dairy Road precinct, Ms Sekuless seized "an amazing opportunity to get the four walls I've always dreamed of".
Now, she's back treading the boards — only this time, she owns them.
"I'm pretty sure that the Mill Theatre is one of the first, if not the first, private enterprise venue in Canberra, supported entirely by industry," she said.
'Absolutely an appetite' for performing arts
It's a timely decision, given last week's federal budget earmarked less than $37 million for the sector over four years and a new National Cultural Policy isn't due until December.
Cultural policy researcher Ben Eltham is hoping the policy will include "the missing piece of the puzzle": long-term sustainable public investment to enable organisations like the Mill Theatre to flourish.
"Where government has a role to play is in addressing some of the shortfalls of the private sector, which simply can't provide the certainty and the sustainability in the long term that government funding can provide," he said.
"So, it's a mixed economy. It requires strong public investment as well as a vibrant private sector for Australians to enjoy the flourishing culture that we all deserve."
Mr Eltham said recovery in the industry had been "patchy" across the country but that there was "absolutely an appetite" for the performing arts.
"We're seeing different patterns in audiences as well, many more walk-ups and last-minute decisions. People aren't booking ahead like they used to," he said.
"It's a changed environment, a different business dynamic for the performing arts sector and they're going to have to adapt to that."
Opening night a sell out
For now, with backing from several local companies, Ms Sekuless has transformed a 130-square-metre space at the precinct into an intimate theatre space and is in final rehearsals for The Torrents.
It features a female and non-binary ensemble — and two additional cast members, as a "COVID contingency".
One of those is Chips, who after years of "pushing" against boundaries in the performance arts sector, has found the Mill Theatre to be a breath of fresh air.
"It's incredibly relaxing to come into this space and just feel accepted, whether it's skills or the way I am, or the way I look, or the way I present," they said.
"It's just awesome to just have that space to just breathe and create."
For actor Bronte Batham, having a new independent theatre in Canberra is offering unique opportunities.
"We can do things that other theatre companies would shy away from, which is very lucky and very fun," she said.
"With a community that comes together when things like this happen, you meet people you wouldn't necessarily meet and make friendships with people you wouldn't usually get the opportunity to make friendships with.
"We're so lucky. Lexi giving us these tools to emerge as artists is really fortunate."
While having no subsidy or underlying support may put "extra pressure" on the Mill Theatre to succeed, it appears the gamble is already paying off.
"Opening night is sold out! I'm hoping with only 67 seats, that it will all sell out!," Ms Sekuless said.
The Torrents will run at Mill Theatre from November 23 to December 3.
