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Renew Australia works with broader revitalisation and placemaking initiatives to bring towns and mainstreets to life.

We support communities and property owners in making their vacant shops, offices, and buildings available rent free or low cost to artists, creative projects, start-up businesses and community initiatives.

Check the videos below for more on our
projects and participants around Australia

Revitalising spaces

Renew Australia is a national social enterprise. Our goal is to create opportunities for artists, creatives, and social enterprises, and bring life and activity to streets and towns while doing so.

Our services include:
- Scoping and feasibility studies
- Managed Renew Australia projects
- DIY projects in our Affiliate program
- Consultant services

Our projects:
- promote community renewal,
- increase activity and foot-traffic,
- use specialised contracts and insurance,
- generate opportunities for creative and start-up businesses, not-for-profits, and social enterprises
- compliment, not compete with, local businesses and traders
- are all different - each Renew Project is tailored to needs of the street, precinct, town or city in which it is based

Renew Australia is an apolitical organisation. We’re not part of the government nor do we have an allegiance to any political party. We work alongside government departments and private sector entities such as:
- Economic Development departments,
- Arts and Cultural services,
- City Centre Management teams,
- Council Placemakers,
- Creative Placemakers
- Traders associations
- Property Developers
- Shopping Centres

Contact us

Participating in Renew Australia is a great opportunity to evolve my storytelling practice through engaging new audiences in new the physical context made possible by having a shop in a central location. It has already had a warm response from the community and given me a myriad of creative ideas to trial and develop. Thanks to the Renew Geelong team for their support and encouragement and to Renew Australia for the vision to enliven communites and creatives in this way.

- Hearth Storytelling, Renew Geelong
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3 weeks ago
Renew Australia

A sad goodbye to TiNA who are winding up this year, but not before giving 4 x $4000 grants this month to support emerging and experimental artists in Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Cessnock. ... See MoreSee Less

A sad goodbye to TiNA who are winding up this year, but not before giving 4 x $4000 grants this month to support emerging and experimental artists in Newcastle, Maitland, Lake Macquarie, Port Stephens and Cessnock.Image attachmentImage attachment
1 month ago
Renew Australia

🌟Here is our wonderful Renew on Q project manager Sarah Wang talking about the project and activating ‘the bird cage’ for the Wander On Q event put on by Campbelltown City Council, NSW

Wander on Q will be incredible day of food, fun, and festivities happening right on Queen Street, Campbelltown including some exciting events from our amazing participants!

👉 campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/Whats-On/WanderOnQ
... See MoreSee Less

1 month ago
Renew Australia

🍄Renew Burnie kicking goals with some really fun-gi activations 🍄

This DIY activation project run by volunteers has been going for several years bringing Burnie CBD to life. We're really proud of the Renew Burnie team! 👏👏👏 Business Northwest supported by Burnie City Council.

If you'd like to run a DIY Activation Project in your town, get in touch space@renewaustralia.org

#renewburnie #renewaustralia🎉 So exciting to see one of our Renew Burnie participant businesses make the front page! 🎉

For years, we’ve proudly partnered with Renew Australia, with the incredible support of Burnie City Council, to create fantastic opportunities for micro and creative businesses. By taking up prime spaces in the CBD at minimal cost, these emerging businesses get a real chance to dip their toes into the world of retail! 🛍️✨

A massive THANK YOU to the local building owners who generously offer up their empty shop spaces, the Council for providing funding to Business Northwest so we can keep this amazing program going, and Harcourts Burnie for helping us connect businesses with spaces! 🙌 Let’s not forget our incredible volunteers at Business Northwest who make it all possible. You’re the heartbeat of this project! 💙

If you’ve got an empty shop space and want to support the next wave of Burnie’s entrepreneurs, we’d love to hear from you! Get involved in Renew Burnie and help bring our CBD to life!

📲 Send us a DM or swing by Shop 2-3 in the Plaza Arcade, Wilson Street. Let’s make magic happen! ✨
... See MoreSee Less

🍄Renew Burnie kicking goals with some really fun-gi activations 🍄

This DIY activation project run by volunteers has been going for several years bringing Burnie CBD to life. Were really proud of the Renew Burnie team! 👏👏👏 Business Northwest supported by Burnie City Council.

If youd like to run a DIY Activation Project in your town, get in touch space@renewaustralia.org

#RenewBurnie #RenewAustralia

Latest news

VICTORIA GARCIA AND BAYVICK LAWRANCE, 'BREATHING LIFE / BULA NI CEGU / PAGHINGA NG BUHAY’, 2022. PHOTO: DOCUMENT PHOTOGRAPHY. https://c-a-c.com.au/public-art-campbelltown/

Renew On Q in the media

Our shopfront activation project, Renew On Q, has received some great media coverage, showcasing its transformative impact on empty retail spaces and local communities. Notable features include a spotlight on ...

Renew On Q activating Campbelltown

As part of Renew On Q, four creative businesses have been granted the opportunity to operate from a commercial space, where they have been conducting fun creative workshops and enjoying ...

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