Premier Daniel Andrews announced that indoor and outdoor seated entertainment venues would be allowed up to 75 per cent of fixed seated capacity, with a maximum of 1000 people.

Bendigo capital venues and events manager David Lloyd said while the changes came into effect from Monday, it would take a couple of months to sort out venues.

Read other news:

"It's terrific that there's been a really strong acknowledgement from the state government around the opportunity for us to get entertainment back to our venues," Mr Lloyd said.

"The new rules mean places like the Ulumbarra can really start to pick up again.

"However, we can't suddenly turn around the venue and make it work next week and neither can the companies.

"We need to prepare for that but we will certainly start business in January or February."

Mr Lloyd said one positive to come out of 2020 was the long list of performers who wanted to come to the Bendigo venues.

"If there was any negative, it would be how busy we are going to be next year and how unavailable the venue will be," he said.

Read other news:

Mr Lloyd said patrons should feel confident the venues would adhere to COVID-safe practices like social distancing and extra cleaning.

"I think as an industry we were the first out and we're now the last in," he said.

"But we have done everything we can to make sure the industry is going to meet the greatest safety requirements and make everyone in our venues as safe as possible."

Mr Lloyd said it had been an awful year for the performing arts industry with venues forced to cancel shows from March this year.

He said people could support those performers and venues by buying tickets and showing up.

"We know they have already started with the events we have opening up," Mr Lloyd said. "With the caveat of limited capacity, the Bendigo Chamber Music Festival was sold out in two days.

"With the new capacity, we will put more tickets on sale and I'm sure they will do the same thing. People still have a strong appetite and want to go out and be entertained."

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.