Planning Cultural Creation and Production in Sydney
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Planning Cultural Creation and Production
in Sydney
A venue and infrastructure needs analysis
April 2018
Ien Ang, David Rowe, Deborah Stevenson, Liam Magee,
Alexandra Wong, Teresa Swist, Andrea Pollio
WESTERN SYDNEY
UNIVERSITY
Institute for Culture
and Society
The Project Team Distinguished Professor Ien Ang Emeritus Professor David Rowe Professor Deborah Stevenson Dr. Liam Magee Dr. Alexandra Wong Dr. Teresa Swist Mr. Andrea Pollio ISBN 978-1-74108-463-4 DOI 10.4225/35/5b05edd7b57b6 URL http://doi.org/10.4225/35/5b05edd7b57b6 Cover photo credit: City of Sydney Referencing guide: Ang, I., Rowe, D., Stevenson, D., Magee, L., Wong, A., Swist, T. & Pollio, A. (2018). Planning cultural creation and production in Sydney: A venue and infrastructure needs analysis. Penrith, N.S.W.: Western Sydney University. This is an independent report produced by Western Sydney University for the City of Sydney. The accuracy and content of the report are the sole responsibility of the project team and its views do not necessarily represent those of the City of Sydney. 2
Acknowledgements This project was commissioned by the City of Sydney Council and conducted by a research team from Western Sydney University’s Institute for Culture and Society (ICS). The project team would like to acknowledge Lisa Colley’s and Ianto Ware’s contribution of their expertise and support for this project on behalf of the City of Sydney. We also extend our gratitude to the other City of Sydney Council officers, cultural venue operators, individual artists, creative enterprises, and cultural organisations who participated in and shared their experiences in our interviews. Without their insights and informative responses, we would not have achieved our research outcomes. 3
4
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements.......................................... 3
Executive Summary..........................................7
Introduction..................................................... 9
Background ................................................................................................ 9
Objectives ................................................................................................. 10
Methods .................................................................................................... 11
About the Case Study Areas ................................................................... 11
About the Interviews .............................................................................. 14
Creative Space in Context............................... 15
Artists’ Studios: London .......................................................................... 15
Artscape: Toronto .................................................................................... 16
Arts Precincts: Melbourne ...................................................................... 17
Implications for Creative Space in Sydney .......................................... 18
Case Studies....................................................19
Redfern Village Case Studies .................................................................. 19
107 PROJECTS .................................................................................... 21
THE CLOTHING STORE...................................................................... 23
PERFORMANCE SPACE...................................................................... 25
MOOGAHLIN PERFORMING ARTS INC ............................................ 27
DUCKRABBIT ...................................................................................... 29
WORK-SHOP....................................................................................... 31
SEMI-PERMANENT............................................................................. 33
FBi RADIO ........................................................................................... 35
STUDIO DAMIEN BUTLER ................................................................. 38
GALERIE POMPOM - FORMER MOP PROJECTS .............................. 40
GRUMPY SAILOR ............................................................................... 43
5
Green Square Village Case Studies ........................................................ 46
SQUARE ONE STUDIOS .................................................................... 48
aMBUSH GALLERY............................................................................. 50
THE NEST CREATIVE SPACE .............................................................. 53
STUDIOS 301...................................................................................... 55
STABLES STUDIOS ............................................................................. 57
Creative Space Located Elsewhere in the City ..................................... 59
MATCHBOX PICTURES ..................................................................... 60
CLAYPOOL .......................................................................................... 63
Discussion...................................................... 65
Emerging Trends ...................................................................................... 65
Trend 1 - Commercialisation of cultural production and space............65
Trend 2 - Gentrification of the inner city ..................................................66
Trend 3 - Privatisation of cultural infrastructure.....................................67
Trend 4 - Casualisation of cultural workers and ‘flexibilisation’ of
workspace ....................................................................................................68
Trend 5 - Diversification of creative space needs ...................................71
Major Issues ............................................................................................. 73
Issue 1- Availability of affordable creative space in the City..................73
Issue 2 - Suitability of creative space and suitability of tenure .............73
Issue 3 - Disappearance of industrial buildings.......................................74
Issue 4 - Diminishing creative clusters in the City ...................................75
Issue 5 - The need for targeted support and funding programs ..........75
Issue 6 - Planning issues and building controls.......................................76
Issue 7 - Unsuitability of a ‘one size fit all’ approach to creative space
planning .......................................................................................................77
Issue 8 Limited space availability in outer metropolitan Sydney .........78
Considerations and Conclusions....................79
References...................................................... 83
Photo Credits ........................................................................................... 86
Appendices..................................................... 87
Appendix 1 - List of Interviewees ................................................................ 87
Appendix 2 - Outline of Interview Questions ............................................ 89
Appendix 3 - Profile of Case Studies Venues .............................................. 92
Appendix 4 - Summary of Trends, Issues and Considerations. ............... 96
Researcher Biographies..................................97
6
Executive Summary
This report was commissioned interviews with key stakeholders industrial buildings for potential
to assist the City of Sydney across Sydney’s cultural sector cultural investment). We suggest
in developing a greater and the creative space data that these mechanisms, combined
understanding of the nature and assembled for the Mapping Culture with our other recommendations,
extent of future needs for creative (2016) report and database can contribute to expanding
space in the city, especially which laid the foundation for this the availability of suitable
spaces for cultural creation and project, and other available data. creative spaces in the City of
production. The research focuses Sydney. Such an approach help
Based on these case studies,
on the relationships between ameliorate the encroachment of
we distil five emerging trends
cultural creators, activities and commercialisation, privatisation
and eight major issues related
spaces with the potential for and gentrification identified in the
nurturing cultural life and practice to current and future creative
report.
in Sydney. The objectives of the space needs in Sydney. The
research were to: report concludes with a series of
recommendations. Succinctly, INCREASING SUPPORT
• Provide detailed knowledge the emerging trends, major MECHANISMS SO AS TO
about the workspaces within issues and recommendations can PROTECT AND ENHANCE
which cultural and creative be summarised in terms of the CREATIVE CLUSTERS
producers conduct their work following plan of action:
in the City of Sydney, and The casualisation of cultural
the role of such workspaces workers and the flexibilisation
(commercial or otherwise) EXPANDING VISIBILITY AND of creative workspaces were
within wider cultural value AVAILABILITY OF SUITABLE identified as other significant
chains. SPACES FOR CULTURAL and emerging trends. Pressure
CREATION AND PRODUCTION on creative clusters located in
• Gain understanding of
the City of Sydney is combined
the social and economic Some of the emerging trends with the diminishing range of
environment within which highlighted in the analysis creative spaces, it was often
cultural and creative sector focus on the impact of believed by our informants that
agents operate, and the commercialisation, gentrification local government support and
impact of this environment and privatisation upon spaces for public funding could be increased.
on their selection and use of cultural creation and production Our recommendations suggest
particular venues or sites. in the City of Sydney. Specific enhanced: pooling (support for
The report provides case-study issues included: lack of availability knowledge-sharing between
profiles of 18 cultural venues/ of affordable creative space in the creative clusters to combine
spaces currently in use within the city; concerns about the suitability resources and advocacy efforts,
City of Sydney LGA, through semi of creative space and tenure; as well as the flexibilisation of
structured interviews with space as well as gentrification and creative workspace); processes
managers and users. The main the disappearance of industrial (innovate planning, administrative
spatial foci are Redfern Village buildings. To address these and communicative procedures
and the Green Square area, issues our recommendations to overcome barriers); and
which were selected because aim to promote the following: protection (initiating more
they represent, respectively, visibility (promote better use residential programs and funding
established and emergent and visibility of existing space); opportunities for emerging artists
zones of cultural creation and volume (increase supply of and smaller-scale organisations).
production in the city. This suitable creative space); and If embedded, these
research was underpinned by 5 inversion (map and save remaining recommendations could help
7
maintain and enhance creative the City of Sydney and the whole clusters, address procedural metropolis. Because of the obstacles, as well as take a more complexity of emerging trends proactive role in tenancy offerings and issues, the recommendations and protections across the City should not be read as a linear list of Sydney. These strategies could of isolated solutions. Instead, they begin to address the rather mixed should be viewed as a repertoire feelings raised by our informants: or toolkit on which the City of pride in the cooperative Sydney can draw in the difficult atmosphere of creative clusters, task of prioritising multi-layered alongside fears that these spatial attention and actions to safeguard concentrations were in decline. and nurture cultural creation and These concerns, and the situation production in the city. itself, could begin to be remedied by the support mechanisms raised in this report. FOSTERING CROSS-SECTORAL PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS THE METROPOLITAN SYDNEY REGION Diversification of the creative sector was another emerging trend identified from our analysis. Associated issues highlighted included: difficulties in cultural production space planning; problems with relocating to Western Sydney and other parts of metropolitan Sydney; as well as grappling with planning issues and the increasingly common mixed-use building model. Stemming from these issues, our recommendations seek to promote collaboration (identify and support creative brokers) and cooperation (foster a metropolitan Sydney perspective and cultural planning approach by enhancing dialogue among Council areas). We suggest that a range of constituencies (artists, creators, organisations, landlords, council and communities) would benefit from the ensuing dialogue, in contrast to the still often ‘siloed’, developer-led approaches and solutions toward both planning difficulties and uncertainties. In conclusion, we suggest that a ‘place-keeping approach to urban cultural planning’ provides a useful framework for recognising the immediate demands and longer-term responsibilities which are necessary to support artists, cultural practitioners, organisations and culture across 8
Introduction
Background provide sufficient infrastructure
and resources to assist the
a series of maps - at both whole
LGA and City of Sydney village
creative sector in conducting its levels - indicating the location,
The Greater Sydney Commission work? What, for example, can be size, and utilisation of individual
has recently issued Towards Our done to prevent ‘creatives’ being venues. Utilisation here is defined
Greater Sydney 2056 (Greater pushed out of the City of Sydney in terms of the ‘value chain’
Sydney Commission, 2017), a and its environs as a consequence role(s) of spaces (i.e., creation,
vision framework for Sydney’s of high-level residential production, use, dissemination
next 40 years. A little earlier, the development? What kinds of and education roles).
New South Wales Government space are required to support the
growth of the creative and cultural The current, succeeding project
released A Plan for Growing
sector in the city? built on the findings of this
Sydney (Department of Planning
research report to examine
and Environment, 2014) with This project on which this report the nature and extent of future
regard to the development is based aimed to assist the
needs for cultural space in the
of the Sydney Metropolitan City of Sydney in addressing
Area over the next 20 years. city, especially spaces for cultural
such questions by conducting a
Meanwhile, UrbanGrowth creation and production. The
research-informed analysis of
NSW, the NSW Government’s research involved a combination
the venues and infrastructure
urban transformation agency of quantitative and qualitative
needs of the cultural and creative
established in 2013, has sector in the City of Sydney Local methods and focus relating
been charged with the task Government Area (LGA). This to the people, activities and
of focussing on large-scale research will help the City of spaces with the potential for
urban transformation projects Sydney to identify appropriate developing cultural life and
in order to create ‘innovative and necessary policy responses practice in Sydney. The main
and productive urban places in relation to such areas as spatial foci are Redfern Village
with world class standards of strategic planning, use of property (the main case study of the
liveability, resilience, inclusion, portfolios, and advocacy to state Mapping Culture report) and the
affordability and environmental government. Green Square area, which were
quality’ (UrbanGrowth NSW, selected because they represent,
An earlier report by the Institute
2018). respectively, established and
for Culture and Society (ICS)
emergent zones of cultural
In the context of this heightened, research team, Mapping Culture:
creation and production.
wide-ranging planning activity, it Venues and Infrastructure in the
is important to consider Sydney’s City of Sydney (Ang, et al., 2016),
future as a city where cultural provided a broad understanding
creation and production thrives. of the distribution of cultural
At present, however, there is venues in the LGA. This report
no reliable evidence base on developed a classification system
which city planners can draw to with regard to all cultural venues
develop culturally-related policy and infrastructure in the city.
and planning frameworks to Using information derived from
promote such a future through various sources, including the
cooperation with and between City of Sydney Floorspace and
the Greater Sydney Commission, Employment survey and other
UrbanGrowth NSW, Property NSW databases, lists and online
and other agencies. Does the city directories, the research created
9
INTRODUCTION
Objectives
The objectives of the research
were to:
• Provide detailed knowledge
about the workspaces within
which cultural and creative
producers conduct their work
in the City of Sydney, and
CBD the role of such workspaces
(commercial or otherwise)
within wider cultural value
chains.
• Gain understanding of
the social and economic
Surry Hills environment within which
cultural and creative sector
Chippendale agents operate, and the
impact of this environment
Redfern on their selection and use of
particular venues or sites.
This project is a more targeted
and in-depth endeavour than the
broader Mapping Culture report
Green Square on which it is based. By going
‘narrower and deeper’, it can
make an important contribution
to Sydney’s planning frameworks
through a timely intervention in
the City’s policy deliberations.
A map showing the density of cultural venues in the City of Sydney (the light colour
corresponds to a density of less than 50 venues per km2, and the dark colour indicates more
than 800 creative spaces per km2. Source: Ang et al., 2016.
10INTRODUCTION
Methods About the Case Study employment in the Village area
(City of Sydney, 2013).
Areas The creative industries in Redfern
The research consists of 3 Street Village also recorded
interrelated strands: significant growth in terms of
Redfern Street Village Area
1. A quantitative analysis of the its businesses and workforce
Evidence of the high - respectively, 38% and 105%.
spaces of cultural creation
concentration of creative The phenomenal growth of
and production in the City
businesses and workers in employment in the sector was
of Sydney LGA, based on
Redfern Street Village area can largely driven by the formation
data assembled for the
be found in the City of Sydney’s of new creative businesses in
Mapping Culture: Venues
2012 Floorspace and Employment the area, with about 55% of
and Infrastructure in the City
Survey, which showed that the creative businesses being
of Sydney report and other
creative industries was the largest founded less than 5 years ago.
available data. This analysis
business sector in the Village Despite this boom, the Survey also
has developed a profile (with
area. The sector, it notes, had revealed that around 40% of the
selected areas of detailed
171 businesses and a workforce creative businesses that existed in
inspection) of Redfern Village,
of 2,501, accounting for 15.8% of 2007 had either ceased operation
and a more limited profile of
all businesses and 14.5% of all or moved away 5 years later (City
Green Square for comparative
purposes.
2. Interviews (individually or in
small groups) with council
cultural policy officers,
building experts, urban
planners and other key
stakeholders from across
metropolitan Sydney, with a
view to establishing changes
in, and contemporary patterns
of availability of, creative and
productive spaces and their
uses.
3. In-depth case studies of
18 cultural venues/spaces,
through semi-structured
interviews with 19 space
managers and users, and
deploying the mobile method
of ‘walking interviews’ (Evans
& Jones, 2011) to gather
detailed, place-specific data.
The selected case studies are
mainly located in Redfern and
Green Square village areas, but
also cover a handful of creative
spaces located elsewhere in the
City. Based on the interviews,
profiles of 18 cultural venues/
spaces were produced, covering
a wide range of art forms and
creative industries. A full list of
the selected venues and their
space categories can be found in
Appendix 1.
The proposed demolition of the Waterloo public housing estate was mentioned by some
informants as an example of the fast-paced change in the demographic profile of Redfern
Street Village. Source: see photo credits.
11INTRODUCTION
KEY FIGURES OF REDFERN STREET VILLAGE AREA
2016 2011
Change
City of City of in
Number % Sydney Number % Sydney number
% %
Population
Usual resident
27,394 - - 19,827 - - +7,567
population
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander 678 2.5 1.2 622 3.1 1.3 +56
population
Dwellings
Medium density 3,873 27.2 21.8 4,102 38.2 24.5 -264
High density 9,843 69.7 74.6 5,881 54.7 70.2 +3,962
Table 1. Source: Profile id, 2018a, 2018b
of Sydney, 2013). and production. These spaces projects to celebrate and promote
are in demand to be redeveloped Indigenous culture in the area
Currently, Redfern Street
as more lucrative residential include Eora Journey, Koori Radio,
Village area is experiencing
apartments or office buildings. Moogahlin Performing Arts and
rapid change, caused mainly
The City of Sydney Floor Space Eora College.
by large-scale urban renewal
and Employment Survey showed,
and redevelopment projects.
relatedly, that there was a 65.3%
The latest census shows that
decline (98,005 sq metres) in Green Square and City South
the population of the Village
the total internal floor area Village
area in 2016 was 27,394, an
designated as industrial space
increase of 38% since 2011 In contrast to Redfern Street
between 2007-2012 in the Redfern
(Profile id, 2018a). This rapid Village, Green Square and City
Village area (City of Sydney, 2013).
increase in population is related South Village is predominantly
to the recent intensive property The importance of Redfern Street an industrial area, although
development in the area. While Village to the artistic and creative there is evidence of significant
the census data showed that community is also reflected in residential development.
Redfern Street Village area has the presence of a number of According to the City of Sydney
a higher percentage of medium- significant heritage buildings
2012 Floorspace and Employment
density dwellings than the City which have been adapted and
Survey, the largest sector in
of Sydney average, the area turned into space for cultural
the Village is Transport and
has also recorded a substantial creation and production, such as
Logistics, which accounts for
increase in high-density dwellings Carriageworks, Clothing Store and
- a surge of 67% in the five years the Australian Technology Park. 19.7% of total businesses and
between 2011-2016 (Profile The Village area is also recognised 21.9% of total employment. The
id, 2018b). Massive property for its highly visible Aboriginal and significance of this industry is
development in Redfern has Torres Strait Islander culture and also reflected in the fact that the
significant implications regarding heritage. Redfern is, historically, largest percentage of floorspace
the existence of creative space for a vital hub for the Indigenous (18.2%) in the Village as used
use by the cultural community. In community, with Aboriginal and for warehousing and storage
particular, there has been growing Torres Strait Islanders accounting (City of Sydney, 2012a). Creative
pressure on the remaining for 2.5% of the total population industries, on the other hand,
limited number of warehouses in the area, compared to 1.2% accounted, respectively, for
and industrial buildings, which of the total population in the only 8.4% and 9.7% of the total
are used by artists and creative City of Sydney (Profile id, 2018a). businesses and workforce (City of
communities for cultural creation Cultural organisations and Sydney, 2012a).
12INTRODUCTION
KEY FIGURES OF GREEN SQUARE VILLAGE AREA
2016 2011
Change
City of City of in
Number % Sydney Number % Sydney number
% %
Population
Usual resident
30,635 - 18,671 - - +11,964
population
Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islander 237 0.8 1.2 121 0.7 1.3 +115
population
Dwellings
Medium density 1,147 7.6 21.8 1,066 11.8 24.5 +81
High density 13,062 81.6 74.6 7,004 77.2 70.2 +6,058
Table 2. Source: Profile id, 2018c, 2018d
Creative industries only recorded and Employment Survey 2012
a modest growth in the Green showed a decrease of 269,724
Square and City South Village sq metres or 38.6% of industrial
area. There was only an addition space between 2007-2012 in
of 5 creative businesses (up 2.9%) Green Square. In contrast,
and 17 workers (up 0.6%) between residential space has increased
2007-2012 (City of Sydney, 2012a). by 185,426 sq metres, a rise of
Our Mapping Culture report (2016) 22.6% (City of Sydney, 2012a). The
also identified that cultural venues latest census also confirmed an
and infrastructure were largely unprecedented increase in high-
inadequate in the Village area. rise development and population
in the Green Square and City
In spite of this situation, Green South Village area, respectively
Square and City South Village 86.5% and 64% between 2011 to
area still forms an important case 2016 (Profile id, 2018c, 2018d).
study for this study. In particular,
the area has a very long history of As the urban redevelopment
large-scale urban redevelopment, process in Green Square Village
which dates back to the State continues, it threatens the
government’s 1995 Metropolitan existing stock of old warehouses
Strategy (Searle, 2007). Extensive and industrial buildings, some
urban renewal projects in Green of which have been earmarked
Square were led by Landcom, the for demolition to make way for
land and property development high-rise apartment development.
arm of the NSW government, at The rapid population growth
the site of the old Leyland plant/ and demographic change also
call for more creative space and
navy warehouse. High-density
community facilities for people
residential apartments have been
who currently live in the Village,
constructed in the area since the
and the many more who will do
early 2000s, and the opening of
so.
the Green Square Railway Station
in 2000 further attracted people
to move into the area.
The City of Sydney Floor Space
13INTRODUCTION
About the Interviews collect key facts about the venue,
such as building type, history
or tenure information. Second,
In order to get a deeper the walking interview, with the
understanding of the issues interviewee asked to show the
surrounding creative space, researchers around the space
25 interviews were conducted and to discuss specific features
with 31 informants between 11 of the space. Field notes and
photos were taken during the
August and 7 December 2017.
walking interview. Third, a seated
These interviews were conducted
interview with questions about
under the Western Sydney
interviewees’ reasons for choosing
University’s ethics protocol
the space, the specific activities
(approval no: 11651). One case
conducted there, major pressures
study and interview involving an
concerning the space, changes
architectural firm was not used
in the neighbourhood and future
after subsequent concerns were
plans for their organisation and
raised by the interviewee about
the space. A detailed interview
passing on any information about
guide can be found in Appendix
financial and spatial planning, as
2. All interviews lasted about 45
well as wider publication of the
minutes to 1 hour and were audio
report. recorded and transcribed. The
The interviews were divided geographical distribution of the
into two categories: case study case study venues is as follows:
interviews and key stakeholder 11 in Redfern Village, 5 in Green
interviews. The case study Square Village and 2 located
interviews were conducted to seek elsewhere in the City.
knowledge and understanding In terms of the 5 stakeholder
of a specific creative space. The interviews, with a total of 7
case study venues were identified participants, the aim was to
with the assistance of the Mapping obtain additional information and
Culture database (2016) developed expert opinion from members
by the research team. The case of the cultural community on
studies covered a variety of space issues insufficiently addressed
categories and cultural industries, in the case study interviews. The
with an aim to shed light on the stakeholders that we consulted
diversity of issues concerning include managers of City of
artists and cultural practitioners, Sydney Creative Spaces program,
as well as cultural space operators a building specialist, urban
and managers. Our selected planner, cultural policy planner
case studies include art galleries, in Parramatta, and a former
multi-purpose venues, performing operator of creative venues. The
arts companies, sculptors, stakeholder interviews were less
development and maker spaces, structured than the case study
as well as a wide range of interviews, and the questions
commercial creative enterprises, asked were adjusted according
such as digital services, radio to the specific expertise and
stations and music studios (see knowledge of the informant. All
Appendix 1 for the full list of case these interviews highlight the
study venues). common issues and challenges
faced by cultural creators
Interviews at case study venues
and producers in Sydney. We
were generally conducted by two
summarise these issues and
researchers and incorporated a
challenges in the Discussion
walking interview component. The
section below.
interviews were semi-structured,
but some specific questions
took account of the distinctive
nature of the venue and business.
Each interview was divided into
three parts: first, a checklist to
14Creative Space in Context
It is now generally accepted
that the great cities of the
an individual artist. The needs
of the classical music composer,
Artists’ Studios:
world should be places of for instance, are very different London
cultural production as well as from those of a visual artist or
of consumption and display. sculptor who produces large
With gentrification and rising and logistically complex work. The 2014 Artists’ Workspace
property values, however, having Requirements vary from the Study by the Mayor of London,
suitable affordable, available intimate to the quasi-industrial; conducted in response to
creative space in close proximity from a single room to a building concerns about the ‘exodus of
to the city centre has become or even an entire urban artists out of central London
difficult and a view is emerging neighbourhood. There are cities and the attractiveness of other
that this is something that can with recognisable precincts where global cities that offer more
no longer be left to the market the studio spaces and offices of a space at cheaper rents’ (Greater
(Grodach, O’ Connor & Gibson, variety of artists, cultural workers, London Council, 2014a, p. 5),
2017; Stevenson, 2014). Indeed, and creative entrepreneurs and found that approximately 3,500
it is increasingly obvious that organisations are clustered. artists were likely to lose their
governments at all levels have Some ‘quarters’ are focused on work spaces in the city by 2020,
a role to play in subsidising a single sector of the creative which amounted to almost a
spaces for cultural production, third of the city’s physical stock
industries, such as popular music,
particularly those needed for of creative infrastructure. The
while others bring together many
creative practices that fall aim of a follow-up study, entitled
different activities and practices.
outside the commercial and the ‘Creating Artists’ Workspace’
Some spaces also provide
entrepreneurial spheres. These (Greater London Council, 2014b),
affordable housing for artists and
forms of practice are primarily was to consider novel approaches
cultural workers to enable them
the traditional arts, although to the establishment of affordable
to live and work on the same site.
supporting ‘start up’ creative creative workspaces and to
industries, often by fostering There are also cultural quarters
that have formed through the explore ways in which the public,
cultural clustering, can also be private and not-for profit sectors
a priority, as well as assisting location decisions of private
might collaborate in the provision
cultural workers who have cultural enterprises and others
of such spaces. From this second
completed their formal education that are the result of government
study, several key features were
and training but are yet to intervention.
highlighted as critical. First, space
become established, is critical to It is timely to consider briefly must be ‘affordable’ because
the development of the creative some examples of cultural artists earn very little from their
sector in any city. precincts established in other work and it is high rent that is
The difficulty, though, is to major cities around the world forcing them out of city centres;
determine what types of space and in Australia facing similar second, partnerships between
are required, where, and through pressures to Sydney. These developers, facility owners, and
which mechanisms they should be initiatives provide pointers to local authorities are common
provided, managed and funded. some common features and and will often be supplemented
Studio and cultural production trends. by targeted grant funding from
spaces differ greatly in form, other governmental bodies and
function and configuration, supra-state operatives, such as
ranging from those that are the European Union (EU); third,
large and open access, to small strong links between creative
areas which are the domain of worker spaces and the local
15CREATIVE SPACE IN CONTEXT community are important, with initiatives intended to embed the hubs that are intended to be local authorities and community facility in the locality. Since The incubators as well as stimuli associations seen as having Triangle was established several for the broader animation and key roles to play. Finally, the other co-worker spaces have been redevelopment of an area. The value of clustering through the established in the locality along explicit aim of the organisation establishment of designated with cafes, music venues and a is ‘make space for creativity and cultural precincts is clear. boutique brewery. transform communities’ (Toronto An instructive example of a Artscape, 2018). To this end, creative precinct is The Triangle in the organisation has supported the London Borough of Hackney, a rather impressive range of which is a renovated office and property development projects industrial facility that now houses Artscape: Toronto which include: creating a 60,000 58 artist’s studios, a number of square foot (approx. 5,574 sq co-working project spaces, and metres) community centre that is a gallery. The site was leased in Since being established in the location of a range of arts and 2001 for a period of 25 years by 1986, the not-for-profit Toronto cultural activities, environmental a social enterprise called SPACE, Artscape has developed as leadership, heritage preservation, which is a not-for-profit body something of an exemplar for urban agriculture and affordable that, along with the 40,000 square the development and provision housing in a redeveloped space feet (approx. 3,167 sq metres) at of multi-tenant space for the arts that was once a streetcar repair The Triangle, provides 275,000 and culture sector. Initiatives centre (Artscape Wychwood square feet (approx. 25,548 sq and activities of Artscape include Barns); an outdoor weekend metres) of affordable studio space developing arts precincts, creating market involving artists, across Greater London (SPACE, and managing tenanted facilities, craftspeople and food ‘artisans’ 2018a, 2018b). Funding for The and undertaking research into held in a redeveloped area called Triangle development came from arts-led regeneration. Artscape the Distillery Historic District a number of sources, with the also provides affordable spaces (Distillery Art Market); a readapted Borough of Hackney not only for artists, theatres, galleries, former police station that now contributing financially but also, and spaces for not-for-profit houses artist live/work studios indirectly, through improvements organisations. Artscape is focused and business associations, and to the public space surrounding on the redevelopment of former social service organisations, and the site. But it is important to note industrial and disused buildings includes spaces for community that, of the £1,752,000 that it cost into spaces for creative work. associations, a ‘Business to set up the facility, only £36,000 These activities are clustered not Improvement Area’, and an Arts came from the local authority. The only with cognate activities, but and Cultural Centre Community bulk of the funding came from also with a range of business Board (the Parkdale Arts and the London Development Agency, and community activities. The Cultural Centre); and the with additional support from the result is the establishment of Theatre Passe Muraille, which European Regional Development Fund and Arts Council England. The Triangle also received capital lottery funding in 2012, which was used for further refurbishment and development of the space. Such multi-jurisdictional support was critical because Hackney, like most local authorities, does not have access to the resources needed to establish and manage a space like The Triangle. Artist’s tenancies in The Triangle (as in all SPACE-managed properties) are for 5 years, at which time they are reviewed and there is an opportunity for renewal. The Triangle also directly employs a number of artists on a part-time basis to work in local The Stonehouse Distillery in Toronto’s Distillery District, a mixed redevelopment including schools and there is a range residential units, commercial spaces and artists’ studios run by Artscape. Source: see photo of other community outreach credits. 16
CREATIVE SPACE IN CONTEXT
comprising 11 different buildings
and 16 acres of land. Its spaces
include: 100 studios, two galleries,
a number of cafes, a radio station,
and a school. The venue is the site
of activities including workshops,
rehearsals, exhibitions, markets,
and festivals and special events.
Studio spaces range in size from
8 to 120 square metres. Rents
vary, with some spaces charging
in the order of $300-400 per
square metre per annum, while
a short-term project studio will
cost about $260 per month.
While some lease terms are quite
short (3 months), others are
negotiable and there are spaces
that can be rented by the hour.
Studio space is available for lease
through an online expression of
Artscape Wychwood Barns in Toronto. Source: see photo credits. interest process, with applications
sought from: commercial
organisations and individuals; arts
and cultural organisations that
is a partnership between the artists prefer not to work under support artistic work; individuals
Artscape, the theatre company conditions where they observed and organisations working in
and the City of Toronto. while engaged in creative labour, the creative arts; health and
some spaces in Toronto and ‘wellbeing’ organisations and
While the arts as they are
in many other cities across the practitioners; and, finally,
traditionally understood are
world are designed and marketed educational bodies, in particular
certainly present in the Artscape
with regard to this form of urban those offering teaching on-site. It
spaces, dance, theatre and the
image making and cultural is interesting to note that, in their
visual arts frequently coexist
tourism. expression of interest, potential
with digital media, film, sound
recording and animation, as well tenants are required explicitly to
as furniture making, jewellery address how their presence will
design, and bookbinding. help ‘activate’ the site by attracting
Significantly, many venues also people to it as audiences or
house a range of ‘community’ and
Arts Precincts: clients.
‘social’ activities and organisations, Melbourne One of Melbourne’s and
including those associated with Australia’s newest arts spaces
Aboriginality, multiculturalism, is the Collingwood Arts Precinct
youth, and education, as well Formerly a convent, and at (CAP), which is the 3,000 square
as retail and residential spaces. one time owned by La Trobe metre site of a former technical
In some instances, it is also University, the heritage-listed college. Designated in 2016 by the
possible for the public to view Abbotsford Convent, which Victorian State Government as a
creative works as they are being ‘badges’ itself as ‘Australia’s cultural space, the CAP is less than
produced and people can place Largest Multi-Arts Precinct’ 2 kilometres from the Abbotsford
commissions directly with the (Abbotsford Convent, 2018), is Convent precinct. It is managed
producer/artist. ‘Creative workers’ now the property of the not- by a social enterprise called
zoos’ involving architectural for-profit Abbotsford Convent Contemporary Arts Precincts. The
features such as overhead Foundation. Its redevelopment CAP was established to be the site
platforms and walkways, are not into an arts space since 2004 has of gallery and studio spaces, as
new, being rather vivid examples been supported by numerous well as of hospitality outlets. Part
of the phenomenon of working grants from all levels of of the site is occupied by the well-
under the ‘tourist gaze’ which government and a number of known Circus Oz, which relocated
the sociologist John Urry (1990) other sources. The site itself was there in 2014. CAP has received
suggests is an integral element a gift from the Victorian State financial support from both the
of the discourse of contemporary Government. The Abbotsford State government and private
travel and tourism. While many Convent cultural precinct is large, donors. The first key or anchor
17CREATIVE SPACE IN CONTEXT
tenants are to take up residency term. Also important is security
in 2018, with expressions of of tenure. In the case of The
interest sought from small-to Triangle, for instance, the initial
medium-sized creative enterprises lease of the building was for 25
and cultural organisations. Lease years, which is a significant length
terms of between 2 and 6 years of time, but there is no guarantee
are available for selected key that the lease will be renewed as
tenants, and annual rent starts the building is privately owned.
at $18,000. There are also spaces In contrast, the spaces of the
which can be hired for one- Collingwood Arts Precinct and the
off activities and events such Abbotsford Convent have been
as exhibitions, performances, gifted by the State Government
and lectures (Collingwood Arts to the social enterprises that are
Precinct, 2018). As is the case managing the space, which gives
with Abbotsford Convent, much is security of tenure and is clearly
made of site activation and of the preferable to limited-term tenure
space being a community facility in a privately-owned building. The
that is open to, and used by, the role of not-for-profit organisations
public for recreation. The CAP has in the establishment and running
indoor and outdoor spaces that of artist spaces is also noteworthy,
can readily be accessed by visitors with this form of management
and audiences. Also in common operating at arm’s length from
with the Convent, CAP is intended government, seemingly to some
to be both multi-practice and extent taking over the role once
multi-purpose. The emphasis is assumed by publicly owned,
on creating an ‘ecosystem’ that funded and managed community
arts centres.
will animate the space, attract
a range of artists and other
cultural workers, and be the
impetus for further development
of the creative sector in the
neighbourhood.
Implications for
Creative Space in
Sydney
What emerges from the cases
discussed above and the
literature more broadly, is the
importance of partnerships.
Local government authorities
lack the resources needed to
underwrite the provision of
large-scale cultural workspaces,
so the solution is to work with
other levels of government, the
education sector, and private
donors. There is no one optimum
space size for such facilities;
indeed, it appears preferable to
have spaces of varying size and
which can be used for a range of
activities, along with lease terms
that range from short to long
18Case Studies
Redfern Village Case
Studies
Redfern currently boasts a healthy
diversity of cultural spaces. Prince
Alfred and Redfern Parks offer
substantial land identified in the
Mapping Culture report as ‘Festival,
Event and Public’ spaces, along with
a number of smaller public areas
on both sides of Redfern Station.
The Mapping Culture report (2016)
identified that the largest venue
count of cultural space in Redfern
Village belonged to the ‘Commercial
and Enterprise’ category (39%).
The extent of ‘Commercial and
Enterprise’ spaces is probably
understated in the map, as the spatial
concentration of creative enterprises
in multi-storey commercial
buildings is hard to visualise in
two dimensions. ‘Community and
Cultural Venues in Redfern Village from Ang et al., 2016 ( •Performance and Exhibition Spaces
Participation’, ‘Practice, Education
•Festival, Event and Public Spaces •Commercial and Enterprise Spaces •Practice, Education
and Development Spaces •Community and Participation Spaces) and Development’, and ‘Performance
and Exhibition’ categories appear
well represented, although, as our
interviews suggest, some of these
spaces are under pressure due to
commercial competition and other
constraints.
19CASE STUDIES
11. Grumpy Sailor
10 1. 107 Projects
2. The Clothing Store
6 3. Performance Space
7 4. Moogahlin Performing Arts
9 5. Duckrabbit
5 6. Work-Shop
1 7. Semi-Permanent
3-4
8. FBi Radio
2
9. Studio Damien Butler
8, 11 10. Galerie pompom
11. Grumpy Sailor
20CASE STUDIES
107 PROJECTS by an artist collective in an old performance space, a wood
dentist’s office on Elizabeth workshop space, and a café and
Street in Surry Hills (without bar, which Jess described as an
http://107.org.au/ official approval). However, the essential socialising space and a
overwhelming success of this key to maintaining and enhancing
operation led to it being closed by community ties. The private space
Venue Address
the Council in 2006. The founders consists of 10 private artist’s
107 Redfern Street, Redfern NSW then began a six-year endeavour studios, located at the back of the
2016 to search for a new site and building on the ground floor, and
finally found the empty building on the second floor there is open
at 107 Redfern Street in 2008. plan co-working office space, an
General Facts They saw ample potential in it as industrial kitchen, an additional
107 Projects is a not-for-profit their organisation’s new home. exhibition space/conference
artist-run creative space located The venue was secured through room, a landscaped rooftop
in a decommissioned garage and the support of the City of Sydney garden/performance space, and
a former sheltered workshop for accommodation grant program, a meeting room. These spaces
people with disabilities. It consists with a lease now confirmed until are available for hire for private
of exhibition/gallery space, 2021. events at a reasonable rate. The
performance space, artist studios maximum capacity of the whole
Having undergone extensive
and co-working office space. The venue (including upstairs and
Development Approval (DA)
success of 107 Projects has made downstairs) is 200 people.
applications over 5 years, 107
it an important cultural hub for Projects now operates over two As a recipient of the
Redfern and a destination for levels with year-round community accommodation grant, 107
visitors from further afield. and cultural projects, exhibitions Projects has the rent of the
and performances. The 1,700 building fully subsidised. The
square metres of disused space subsidies from the City of Sydney
The Venue in this two-storey warehouse are passed on 100% to the
107 Projects has been operating building was transformed into community either by subsidised
at 107 Redfern Street since a multi-function creative space venue hire or subsidised office
November 2011. According to for artists to create, develop, and studio rent. The subsidised
its founder and director, Jess exhibit and perform their rent enables emerging artists and
Cook, it grew out of a demand works. The building was divided community groups to overcome
for an independent art space in into public and private space. financial barriers to producing
the inner city. It was originally The public space consists of a and presenting their works. As
operated as a live music venue gallery, a sound-proofed theatre/ Jess pointed out, the financial
21CASE STUDIES
resources of 107 Projects are participate because 107 Projects
limited, with 74% of its income is ‘artist focused’. All the managers
coming from its activities (self and administrators have different
funded) and a very important 26% artistic interests and backgrounds,
from other supporting groups, including photography, visual
such as philanthropic foundations arts, theatre, music, and so on. In
and non-art government program Jess’s words, ‘we understand what
grants. The organisation only has artists need and we don’t dictate
three full-time and four part-time to them.’
staff, and a pool of casual staff. represents an affordable option
It is mainly run by more than 30 for artists to exhibit their works in
volunteers. The Neighbourhood the city, and thus attracts artists
from across Sydney and from
The floors of 107 Projects are The key advantage of being
afar, including people from the
proudly unpolished, and most located in Redfern is that it is
Blue Mountains and regional
of the decorative materials and ‘accessible to all kind of stuff.’
NSW, and international artists and
furniture were donated. However, However, the neighbourhood
community groups.
the mix and match of different has been changing since the
styles has given the place a quirky, organisation moved there in 2011.
yet welcoming and relaxing, feel. Among other developments, the
Pressure Points
Over the years, 107 Projects increasing number of restaurants
has become a dynamic art hub and the arrival of more affluent Thanks to the City of Sydney’s
in Redfern and has developed residents into the area as a result accommodation grant, 107
strong connections with artistic of gentrification have altered the Projects does not face too much
and local communities. According neighbourhood in both positive pressure in its operations, except
to its 2015-16 annual report, 107 and negative ways. Change is that the budget is tight and the
Projects held 696 events in that change. Jess expressed concern staff tend to be overworked. 107
year and attracted 44,568 visitors. that the redevelopment of public Projects still hopes to receive an
According to Jess, apart from the housing may have led to people infrastructure grant to upgrade
cheap rent, many artists want to from lower socio-economic some of their facilities and
backgrounds moving out of the equipment. But Jess admitted that
neighbourhood. However, she it generally has a ‘DIY approach to
thinks that this change makes things’ and can use their creativity
it even more important for the to ‘navigate obstacles.’
organisation to remain in their Nevertheless, Jess pointed out
current location, as they are that 107 Projects faced more
serving and listening to the local difficulties when they began
community. Many people from their operations, especially
the neighbourhood like to ‘hang when it had to go through
out’ at 107 Projects or enjoy the process of Development
free wifi there. 107 Projects also Approvals (DAs). For instance,
it took five years to get through
three DAs for the venue. Due
to the financial constraints,107
Projects had to complete the DA
applications itself, with the help
of friends who were specialists
in the area. It was a difficult and
frustrating process, needing to go
through different departments,
complete various sections of the
development applications, and
there were difficulties negotiating
with the Council about different
restrictions. As Jess explained ‘107
Projects doesn’t fit into a box and
so it is very hard to get through
approvals if you don’t fit into
their preconceived ideas of what
a community centre/exhibition
space/all ages licensed venue is.’
22CASE STUDIES
THE CLOTHING STORE subsidised rent of $60 per week. general public and within the
As part of the agreement, artists artistic community.
occupying the studios at the
http://carriageworks.com.au/ Clothing Store are required to
clothing-store-carriageworks/the participate in three community- The Venue
clothing-store/ engagement activities: two artist-
Built in 1913, the Clothing Store is
run events for each, and a general
a large warehouse that is part of
Open Studio day when local
Venue Address the larger historic railway precinct
residents can meet the artists and
that includes Carriageworks. It
7 Carriageworks Way, Eveleigh, visit their workshops.
was originally used as a facility
NSW 2015 Samuel Hodge, our informant, to store and produce uniforms
is a visual artist who combines for the NSW railway workers. The
photography, fashion and other building consists of two storeys.
General Facts
modes of image production. The ground level is not partitioned
The Clothing Store is a Active since the early 2000s, and presents two rows of steel
community-focused temporary Samuel has had solo and group columns reinforced at the base.
arts and creative facility in exhibitions in Oceania, North The upper level is entirely open,
a warehouse situated in the America and Europe. In Sydney, in but has been partitioned with
historic railway precinct in particular, he has been showing removable dry walls that create
Eveleigh. In 2017 UrbanGrowth his works through ALASKA 8 studios of 6 x 9 meters each.
NSW (UrbanGrowth) partnered Projects, an artist-run initiative All the studios are accessed
with Carriageworks to activate operating out of a disused car from a central corridor and have
the building on a temporary park in Kings Cross, where he exterior windows. The first floor is
basis. Through this partnership, was also based for a short time accessible via a concrete staircase,
UrbanGrowth is leasing the 8 during which the organisation ran
and also features a common area,
studios to 7 established and a studio space (now terminated).
a room for polluting works, and a
emerging contemporary artists in Thanks to the residence at The
kitchenette.
Sydney, and to one architecture Clothing Store, albeit only brief
firm. The 8 tenants have been thus far, Samuel feels that his The Clothing Store building is
selected through a public work has received a great boost owned by Railcorp and managed
callout (March 2017) and enjoy a in visibility, both regarding the by UrbanGrowth, the state-owned
23CASE STUDIES
corporation that functions as an
urban redevelopment agency.
The land around the warehouse
is also licensed to UrbanGrowth
as part of the Central-to-Eveleigh
project, which will transpire in
the years to come. The Clothing
Store, however, is not likely to
be redeveloped as many of its
features, including walls, roofing,
ceilings and floors, are protected
under its statutory listing as a
heritage building.
The Neighbourhood
For Samuel, being a resident
at the Clothing Store is a great
privilege, but not only for the may decide to offer the same to such agreements, he feels
opportunity of using a wide opportunity to another group that open days are sometimes
studio space at a subsidised of artists, or simply bring the intrusive with regard to an artist’s
rent. The main advantage is experiment to a close. For Samuel, work-in-progress. He knows that
proximity to Carriageworks, this kind of unpredictability is public entities use these events
both physical and through the not necessarily specific to his as showcases in support of
partnership arrangements. residence at Carriageworks, but a the maintenance of subsidised
As part of these agreements, more general situation for artists studios, but also that many artists
all artists in residence enjoy who occupy subsidised studios. As do not like their work being
complimentary tickets to all a consequence of these transient seen or photographed before
Carriageworks performances, agreements, artists tend to reduce completion.
invitations to opening nights the scope and the extent of their
Lastly, the only drawback of
and can avail themselves of experimentation. Samuel knows,
working in a heritage-listed
the professional development for example, that he cannot afford
warehouse is the limitation
services that the organisation to create artwork that is too large
imposed by some building
offers to their ‘creatives’ in or difficult to be moved, because
features. At the Clothing Store,
residence. What’s most important he does not have long-term
for example, crafts which may
to Samuel is access to the local certainty about the size of his
‘pollute’ their environment need
and international curators who studio. He believes that residence
to be practised in a small room
visit Carriageworks. Through this programmes should develop
where the walls and floors have
exposure, Samuel feels that his on-a-medium-to-long-term span
been protected, thereby curbing
work has greatly improved, even (one year would be far too short),
the possibility of experimenting
in the short time that he has been so that creatives can expand
on a larger scale. However, as
in residence. their work to the point where
Samuel notes, there are many
they no longer need a subsidised
The Clothing Store is also more opportunities in The
residence.
conveniently located, easily Clothing Store than in a rented
accessible through public Another disadvantage, as he sees apartment, where many artists,
transport, and close enough it, is the community engagement including himself before starting
to the cafes and restaurants of requirement, which, in many his residency, live and produce
Newtown’s King Street, to which cases, features open studio days. their work without the knowledge
Samuel and the other artists Although he is not opposed of their landlords.
usually walk for lunch.
Pressure Points
From Samuel’s perspective, the
major element of uncertainty
is the temporary nature of his
residence at Carriageworks. His
lease only extends to May 2018.
At that point, UrbanGrowth
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