Wyndham Community Arts Alliance fears it will be left homeless when its Laverton North lease expires in January.
The alliance, which has about 200 members, provides local artists, writers and theatre and community groups with studios and meeting spaces at its Sayers Road site.
It has been leasing the space, known as Wyndham Artworks, from the council for 10 years, but its lease expires on January 31 and the council is yet to offer a new lease or find new premises.
Wyndham council chief executive Kerry Thompson said the group’s lease included a ‘holding over’ clause, allowing it to remain at Wyndham Artworks on a month-by-month basis.
But alliance treasurer and business co-ordinator Wolf Heidecker said the group was under the impression there was no such clause in its lease.
Mr Heidecker said the alliance could not accept a month-by-month lease because it legally had to provide its artists with licences for studios for a minimum of three months.
“It is really a matter of urgency,” he said. “We need a commitment and a guarantee that we can stay on here and that the council will not tear up the contract until a new space is found.”
Alliance president Dani Acciarito said it could be forced to close if the council could not guarantee a future home. She said loss of the alliance would leave local artists and community groups nowhere to go.
“If we close, the only local group showcasing local artists will be Rotary,” Ms Acciarito said.
Ms Thompson said the council supported the ongoing operation of the Wyndham Community Arts Alliance and looked forward to productive discussions about its contribution to development of the arts.
