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Liz Hobday

Dance group hits back after venue turfed for padel ball

Dance organisers have been forced out of an entertainment hub to make way for padel ball courts. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

Popular music series Summer Dance has been forced to move due to its venue being converted to padel ball courts, organisers claim.

The dance events have brought thousands to Liberty Hall Courts in Sydney's Entertainment Quarter, but will move to Marrickville in 2027.

Summer Dance backers Astral People say they are gutted to lose the event's home since 2023.

Astral People's Summer Dance event
Astral People have been organising dance events at the Entertainment Quarter since 2023. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

"Bespoke arts and music events being pushed out feels like an all-too-familiar story," said Astral People director Vichara Edirisinghe.

''People deserve shared spaces to get together and connect in real life, and those are getting harder to find in Sydney."

Entertainment Quarter has been contacted for comment.

Sets by Gilles Peterson, Kerri Chandler and Silva Bumpa during the remainder of 2026 will be the last dance events held at Liberty Hall Courts, according to Astral People.

Astral People's Summer Dance
Summer Dance sets are a popular fixture on Sydney's live events calendar. (PR IMAGE PHOTO)

Summer Dance will move to Saywell Street in Marrickville starting with a RINSE FM party in January featuring JME, Yung Singh and Mia Koden.

The city's live music scene is under enormous pressure, with the loss of almost 1000 live music venues between 2014 and 2024, according to think tank Committee for Sydney.

The Summer Dance day-to-night events started at the National Art School and became a fixture of the city's dance scene, featuring the likes of Four Tet, Skrillex, Eris Drew & Octo Octa and Ross From Friends.

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