The foundation was established in 2016 to support the newly developed Ulumbarra Theatre, and has helped attract philanthropic support for central Victoria's performing arts scene.

As central Victoria's only charity dedicated to supporting performing arts, it received $52,462 in donations to the financial year ending on June 30 this year.

Support from individual donors and businesses has helped the foundation achieve one of its core missions, which is to provide free access to theatre for people that wouldn't or couldn't consider visiting the space.

"We provide access to Indigenous people, refugee people, the handicapped, school children and the elderly," Mr McKern said.

"The foundation provides these people with something in their lives they don't already have and once they come to the theatre, they might consider coming more often," he said.

The inception of the foundation and a theatre of the scale and esteem of the Ulumbarra Theatre was something Mr McKern couldn't have envisaged 10 years ago.

Its presence has provided a lift to the city's vibrant arts scene, working in concert with existing buildings such as the Capital Theatre and Bendigo Art Gallery to enrich the city's cultural fabric.

"When Ulumbarra was first mooted, there was serious talk it would be the end of the Capital," Mr McKern said.

"In fact, the Capital has never been busier and more popular."

Mr McKern, 84, has always maintained an interest in the arts, serving on the board of the Bendigo Art Gallery for more than 20 years, a number of those as chairman.

The ability to access quality theatre and performances is not lost on him as a Bendigonian.

"The Ulumbarra is fantastic because you can see the same sort of performances here in Bendigo that you could see in Melbourne," Mr McKern said.

A project Mr McKern and the foundation are excited about is the consolidation of the Music and Art Therapy Program.

Bendigo Health oncologist Robert Blum, a foundation board member, is part of a collaboration between the Ulumbarra Foundation and Bendigo Health Foundation to expand the Bendigo Cancer Centre's current music program.

"There is support for a part-time coordinator to encourage more and more volunteers to come to the hospital and play in the cancer unit," Mr McKern said.

"People are even invited to bring in their own instrument. The idea is to provide music therapy through the hospital," he said.