Music teachers hop to it at cafe

WHEN three Ballarat Grammar music teachers saw their local coffee shop was for sale, they had a vison of a venue for local artists.

Last year, Sarah Barlow, Amber Ives and Chris Robson purchased Hopscotch Cafe on Howitt Street to do just that.

The cafe now champions musicians and showcases live music every Saturday afternoon.

“We love this place because it was like our saviour at 11 o’clock and we needed this place to get a coffee,” said Ms Ives.

“When it came up for sale it was somewhere to further enhance that community… I think it’s really awesome that we have a regular and loyal client base but it’s so rich and varied.

“It’s great that everyone feels welcome to be here.”

Music students at Ballarat Grammar perform at the cafe and practice setting up technical equipment while local artists sell their merchandise.

Ms Barlow also has plans to add open mic nights and opportunities for writers, and she said it is important to provide artists with a place to share their talents.

 

“We want to champion the local artist community here in town which is really strong,” she said.

“As musicians ourselves, we understand that art is meant to be enjoyed by an audience.

“If you don’t have that exposure, it does hinder your development and ability to have time to do more.”

While operating the cafe is challenging, Ms Barlow said because the trio receive income from their teaching jobs, they can run it as a passion project.

“With all the music venues understandably closing down, it’s just impossible to really make a proper living out of it,” she said.

“We’re in a privileged position… We’d like to do it as long as we can to give musicians an outlet.”

All commissions from artwork sold at the cafe go towards Ballarat’s Raven Collective, which provides employment to women overcoming domestic violence.

To find out more, visit Hopscotch Cafe’s Instagram or Facebook.