Victor Harbor’s iconic Victa Cinema will close for almost three weeks to enable fire safety upgrades to the historic building.

It is scheduled to close from Tuesday 10 June to Friday 27 June while a new external fire escape is installed for the upstairs cinema, as well as a new fire detection system and fire panel.

Works will be paused for on day to accommodate the Ocean Film Festival screening, in the upstairs cinema, on Saturday 21 June.

The art deco-style cinema celebrated its centenary in 2023, the same year it was listed on the South Australian Heritage Register.

City of Victor Harbor purchased the cinema in October 2020, intending to incorporate the building into a future Arts and Cultural Centre, along with the Town Hall, Old Mechanics Institute and Librarian Residence.

Stage five of the council’s Main Street Redevelopment includes a concept design for the Arts and Cultural Centre, which has been on hold since public consultation in mid 2021 revealed community concern about design and a projected cost of $20 million.

When the safety upgrades are complete the cinema is scheduled to reopen in time for the July school holidays.

For more information on the Victa Cinema and its program, visit the website.