Thriving arts scene in east Gippsland fosters community connection

Regional Australians are well practised at mitigating their rural isolation with hobbies, community events, social clubs and committees. In the fishing and tourism village of Lakes Entrance, east of Melbourne, FLOAT arts collective founder Andrea Lane and her husband artist Gary Yelen have run hundreds of community arts projects in East Gippsland. "Feeling the music, moving to the music you're getting the exercise, social connection, you're getting a hug, it's just beautiful," Ms Brittain said. "It's actually really good for mental health because we come in and there's so many different personalities and different sense of humours and everything, we all get on really well," president Annette Walker said. "That ability to work together and have each other's back, you don't experience that a lot in life, so certainly being in the theatre provides you with an avenue for that," she said.