Jenny Ellis has a piano at her place but wants a more colourful one in a public area. Photo: Oliver Jacques.
Griffith councillor, singer and actress Jenny Ellis will push forward with her plan to install a public community piano in Griffith, despite no other councillor supporting her idea at a recent council meeting.
A community piano is installed in a public place and can be played for free by anyone who passes by.
The ABC TV program The Piano is funding the delivery of secondhand pianos to towns and filming the impact they have on local residents.
Cr Ellis put forward a motion that council apply for Griffith to participate in the next ABC series, or if not successful, set aside $5000 to fund the installation of a community piano at Griffith Central shopping centre.
However, no other councillor seconded this motion, meaning it died before it could be discussed or put to a vote.
A community piano in Luxembourg. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
“It’s disappointing that we didn’t even get to discuss it, but I will definitely be going ahead with the project,” Cr Ellis said.
“I wanted support from the council, which would have helped us to get the ABC grant.
“But we can do it anyway. I’ll be doing the application to ABC with the Griffith Muso Club and the Griffith Art Collective. There are also piano teachers and musicians who will support us.”
Ms Ellis said it would add a bit of colour and vibe to the town.
“It’s an opportunity for artistic and musical people to come together on a project. When you install the piano, you get artists to paint it, so it’s artwork as well. It’s one less piano that goes to the tip and you can have events that centre around the piano,” she said.
“There’s no cost for ratepayers. If we don’t have success with the ABC process, I’ve had pianos donated, the Muso Club will pay for the tuning and we have artists willing to paint it.”
But what about the obvious question: Won’t a public piano just be vandalised on the mean streets of Griffith?
“This is a project that happens all over the world. Vandalism is rare. We were in discussions to install the piano at Griffith Central, which was a secure location,” she said.
“It would be good to have it at the empty space at the back of the shopping mall, where you won’t disturb people.”
Cr Ellis, who has won multiple awards for her singing and acting but doesn’t play the piano herself, concedes there are bigger issues in town.
“It’s not as big an issue as something like the hospital split, but it’s just something for the community. It’s fun. My vision is to champion Griffith as a place where young professionals will want to come here. We already have plenty of work, but we want to create other attractions to keep them here.”
Cr Ellis said she’d put through the application to be part of the next ABC The Piano series, with results expected in March 2026.
