Cyrus Artlounge was a beloved Lygon Street cafe-art gallery hybrid, not only known for its great service and eclectic artsy aesthetic, but for its strong support of local creatives. Under the original ownership of Cyrus himself, the venue offered a distinct space for emerging artists, writers and community-based event organisers to connect, showcase their work and grow.

However, as of mid-2025, the venue is under new management. Loyal customers have noticed significant changes that suggest a departure from the venue’s previous focus on celebrating and uplifting local art. The upstairs gallery, a space once dedicated solely to showcasing exhibitions, has now been renovated into a simple dining area. This transformation marks a shift the venue being more commercially driven, raising concerns among local creative communities about the loss of genuine support and artistic patronage.

Cyrus’ was known as more than just a local coffee shop, but a space that celebrated the arts community. What truly distinguished the establishment was Cyrus himself. He ran the business for three years and was deeply involved and personable. He created a memorable experience for everyone through his kindness, asking customers about themselves, sharing business updates and inviting them to visit the latest exhibitions. For Cyrus, his goal was to create a soulful gathering space for artists and to promote local work.

Cyrus was known to have been encouraging when it came to artists exhibiting their work, even if they felt hesitant or uncertain. For one local artist who has held multiple exhibitions with the venue, hosting their own exhibition initially seemed like an endeavour completely out of their comfort zone and would not have occurred without Cyrus’ encouragement.

Two major literary community-building events at Cyrus’ were the ‘Story Soirée’ open mic nights events, held in June and August of 2024. These were co-hosted by The Provocative Inklings (PI), founded by UniMelb alumni Angus Clark and Kartiya Ilardo, and Words of a Feather (WOAF), a writing organisation founded by Amy Han. The events featured stories, poems and other written works spoken publicly through a random draw of volunteer names from a hat. This was to be a space for writers of all abilities and levels of experience, free from criticism or judgement.

To host their events, both organisations were looking for a venue that aligned with their values of supporting local creatives and artists, was easily accessible and had a cosy artsy atmosphere. After being informed of the venue by a mutual friend, Angus went into the cafe to find Cyrus himself and where he enthusiastically invited them to run an event at the venue. From Angus’ initial interaction with Cyrus, he knew the venue would become the spot.

The collaboration with Cyrus’ through these events were incredibly meaningful for these organisations. The interior itself, as an arts and literature-focused space, was an ideal atmosphere for the events.

Han recalls the staff at Cyrus’ being incredibly accommodating throughout the process. They opened later than usual for events, allowed them to book the space exclusively and provided a staff member to keep the cafe open throughout the evenings. Han’s only in-person interaction with Cyrus was during setup for one event, when he encouraged her to rearrange the furniture to her liking. ‘It’s your home. Make yourself at home!’. This deeply resonated with Han, who said that if she were to open her own studio space for WOAF again, this is exactly how she hoped people would feel when they came. He also offered to stock her book ‘The Yard Sale at Story House’ in-store, in an effort to promote local works.

For Angus and PI, the significant growth of the organisation can be tied back to these initial events at Cyrus’ during their first year of business, which launched their reputation and launched a successful 2025. As a result, attendance for their events outgrew Cyrus’, prompting them to move to larger venues.

However, under new management, Cyrus Artlounge has undergone changes which seem to have diminished the arts appreciation previously fostered by Cyrus. 

For Angus of PI, he says support can be found if you look hard enough. He emphasises the importance of building a strong portfolio and creating an online presence which showcases your work. Kartiya of PI believes that there are means for artists to create opportunities for themselves. Within the literary community, she has seen new support networks and relationships fostered through the community-building events such as the ones held at Cyrus’. From this, new creative spaces have emerged such as The Literary Lounge.

Amy Han of WOAF believes that ‘there is space and community for everyone who wants it … The hard part is finding those communities and then showing up and making genuine connections.’

For students and creatives who once frequented Cyrus’, the loss of its original spirit is felt.

For now, Cyrus says he wants to take a couple of years off for revision, study, and updating his work and knowledge before returning. He hopes to bring back the spirit of Cyrus’ Artlounge in new and exciting ways in future, such as through gallery and exhibition spaces, running fine arts workshops and teaching, and even incorporating aspects of hospitality.