Renew Australia and Creative Geelong Inc have received Victorian Government funding via Creative Victoria for $250,000 over two years to breathe new life into vacant spaces in Geelong’s CBD
Creative Geelong will receive $100,000 to develop and expand the impact of its Makers Hub in Centrepoint Arcade and Renew Australia will receive $150,000 to deliver the Renew Geelong program. Both projects have received matched funding from the City of Greater Geelong.
According to Renew Australia Manager Angela Simons, Renew Geelong is a new initiative by national social enterprise Renew Australia that will activate vacant spaces by incubating short-term uses by creative enterprises and independent local businesses on rent-free basis via a rolling 30-day license.
“Renew Australia are excited to be working alongside the local community and property owners to activate otherwise vacant space in the Geelong CBD. With the support of Creative Victoria and the City of Greater Geelong, the Renew Geelong project will provide opportunities for creatives, and not-for-profits and social enterprises, to trial an idea while activating otherwise vacant space. We are delighted to be working in collaboration with Creative Geelong to reimagine the use of otherwise empty space,” Ms Simons said.
Renew Australia will shortly begin the process of securing vacant spaces through agents, property owners and developers and will be seeking expressions of interest from creative enterprises in the coming months.
Creative Geelong’s Makers Hub project has fast become a valued collaborative space for Geelong’s creative community. It includes a range of co-working, workshop, makerspace and studio facilities for use by creative practitioners and community groups, and delivers opportunities for people of all ages to develop their skills and ideas.
President of Creative Geelong Jennifer Cromarty said the while the Makers Hub has been operating for six months, the extra support from Creative Victoria will enable an acceleration of the impacts, increase outreach and further develop the offer.
“The opportunity to work alongside a national organisation of Renew Australia’s calibre is a huge boost to Creative Geelong and its burgeoning community. We are greatly encouraged by Creative Victoria’s belief in our purpose as we work towards realising Geelong’s community vision of Clever and Creative,” Ms Cromarty said.