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 to current and future creative nurturing cultural life and practice 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 on creative clusters located in • Gain understanding of CREATION AND PRODUCTION 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 a series of maps - at both whole and resources to assist the 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 The current, succeeding project released A Plan for Growing growth of the creative and cultural built on the findings of this Sydney (Department of Planning sector in the city? 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 city, especially spaces for cultural Area over the next 20 years. such questions by conducting a creation and production. The Meanwhile, UrbanGrowth research-informed analysis of research involved a combination NSW, the NSW Government’s the venues and infrastructure of quantitative and qualitative urban transformation agency 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.

10 INTRODUCTION

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 spaces of cultural creation - respectively, 38% and 105%. concentration of creative and production in the City The phenomenal growth of businesses and workers in of Sydney LGA, based on employment in the sector was Redfern Street Village area can data assembled for the largely driven by the formation be found in the City of Sydney’s Mapping Culture: Venues of new creative businesses in 2012 Floorspace and Employment and Infrastructure in the City the area, with about 55% of Survey, which showed that of Sydney report and other the creative businesses being 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.

11 INTRODUCTION

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 Village area is experiencing include Eora Journey, Koori Radio, apartments or office buildings. rapid change, caused mainly Moogahlin Performing Arts and The City of Sydney Floor Space by large-scale urban renewal Eora College. 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 the population of the Village Green Square and City South the total internal floor area area in 2016 was 27,394, an Village designated as industrial space increase of 38% since 2011 between 2007-2012 in the Redfern In contrast to Redfern Street (Profile id, 2018a). This rapid Village area (City of Sydney, 2013). Village, Green Square and City 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).

12 INTRODUCTION

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

13 INTRODUCTION

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

14 Creative Space in Context

It is now generally accepted an individual artist. The needs Artists’ Studios: that the great cities of the of the classical music composer, 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, industries, such as popular music, third of the city’s physical stock particularly those needed for while others bring together many of creative infrastructure. The creative practices that fall different activities and practices. aim of a follow-up study, entitled outside the commercial and the Some spaces also provide ‘Creating Artists’ Workspace’ entrepreneurial spheres. These affordable housing for artists and (Greater London Council, 2014b), forms of practice are primarily cultural workers to enable them was to consider novel approaches the traditional arts, although to live and work on the same site. to the establishment of affordable supporting ‘start up’ creative There are also cultural quarters creative workspaces and to industries, often by fostering explore ways in which the public, cultural clustering, can also be that have formed through the location decisions of private private and not-for profit sectors a priority, as well as assisting might collaborate in the provision cultural enterprises and others cultural workers who have of such spaces. From this second that are the result of government completed their formal education study, several key features were intervention. and training but are yet to 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

15 CREATIVE 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 While the arts as they are ‘wellbeing’ organisations and in many other cities across the traditionally understood are practitioners; and, finally, world are designed and marketed certainly present in the Artscape educational bodies, in particular with regard to this form of urban spaces, dance, theatre and the those offering teaching on-site. It image making and cultural visual arts frequently coexist is interesting to note that, in their tourism. with digital media, film, sound expression of interest, potential 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

17 CREATIVE 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

18 Case 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.

19 CASE 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 3-4 7. Semi-Permanent 2 8. FBi Radio 9. Studio Damien Butler 8, 11 10. Galerie pompom 11. Grumpy Sailor

20 CASE 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 maximum capacity of the whole performance space, artist studios Having undergone extensive venue (including upstairs and and co-working office space. The Development Approval (DA) downstairs) is 200 people. success of 107 Projects has made 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

21 CASE 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 key advantage of being The floors of 107 Projects are afar, including people from the located in Redfern is that it is proudly unpolished, and most Blue Mountains and regional ‘accessible to all kind of stuff.’ of the decorative materials and NSW, and international artists and However, the neighbourhood furniture were donated. However, 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. Among other developments, the yet welcoming and relaxing, feel. 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.’

22 CASE 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 the larger historic railway precinct Venue Address 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, during which the organisation ran UrbanGrowth is leasing the 8 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

23 CASE 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

24 CASE STUDIES

PERFORMANCE SPACE http://performancespace.com.au

Venue Address Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, Eveleigh, NSW 2015

General Facts Performance Space is a resident company at Carriageworks. The organisation was set up in 1983 as a response to artists’ desire to explore and experiment with new forms and practices of art. Over 30 years, Performance Space has grown into a leading partner organisations, such as creative communities. However, organisation in Australia for the studios and rehearsal space at the negative side of gentrification development and presentation universities or other performing is that those who have roots of interdisciplinary arts. The art companies. in the neighbourhood cannot organisation curates concept-led afford to live there anymore, Like the other resident festivals and programs, and runs which is particularly problematic a year-round artist residency companies, Performance Space has a three-year lease with for those in the Indigenous program at Carriageworks and community facing the challenge elsewhere. Carriageworks. The major leasing conditions are require alignment of displacement from their long­ with Carriageworks’ artistic term base. While he believes that change is inevitable, Jeff says, ‘I The Venue policy and to present at least one project a year at Carriageworks. think obviously governments have According to the organisation’s Performance Space presents an enormous amount of influence artistic director, Jeff Khan, about 10-20 projects at on the way, the direction that Performance Space was originally Carriageworks each year through those neighbourhoods develop based in Cleveland Street in its Liveworks Festival and artist in.’ Redfern. The gentrification residency program. Jeff said that process made the commercial Carriageworks is the ‘best space’ rents no longer affordable. It for the company because ‘the While Performance Space’s staff moved into its current venue venue has the capacity to hold mainly travel from the inner west as one of Carriageworks’ that kind of work.’ He stressed, and inner east, the organisation anchor tenants in 2007. ‘I don’t think there is equivalent works with artists from all over Performance Space is one of the space anywhere in Sydney.’ Australia and the Asia Pacific. organisations that has lobbied for In terms of production and Carriageworks to be developed as technical equipment, they tend a cultural precinct. The Neighbourhood to work with local companies. Jeff commented that the cultural Performance Space has a contract Commenting on changes in the sector in general has very close with Carriageworks, from whom neighbourhood, Jeff has noticed collaborative relationships, and it rents its permanent office. The that Redfern has become ‘hugely cultural organisations usually company is allowed to use the gentrified’ in the last decade. He share casual staff and borrow or theatres, gallery space and studios sees this change as having both hire equipment from each other. at Carriageworks at a discounted good and bad influences on the Talking about its relationship rent. Although Performance neighbourhood. On the positive with artistic organisations in Space does not produce work side, he thinks that Redfern has Western Sydney, Jeff said that, itself, it runs an artist residency become more vibrant, as a lot while Performance Space has program to support at least six of businesses and institutions great working relations with a lot new creative developments by have moved into the area. New of cultural institutions in the area, artists and collectives each year. bars and cafés, including live it refuses just to ‘parachute’ work Performance Space’s residencies music venues, have opened that produced in the city into Western also use space belonging to its can be used by the artistic and Sydney because Jeff believes its

25 CASE STUDIES work has to be ‘meaningful in that both office and artistic spaces context.’ Therefore, Performance at Carriageworks from 2019 Space prefers to partner with onwards. This increase is due artists or organisations in Western to Carriageworks’ planned Sydney to make that sure that the expansion, and uncertainty about work is ‘relevant and appropriate the future of Carriageworks’ to that community.’ leasing agreements with the NSW State Government. Jeff pointed out that Performance Space’s Pressure Points funding is not projected to rise the Art Gallery of NSW, the Walsh to match the rental rise, causing Performance Space receives Bay precinct and Carriageworks a major potential problem for its four-year funding from the itself. The spaces and resources capacity to deliver programs in for creating and developing the Australia Council and triennial the building. funding from Create NSW. These artistic work has been overlooked. sources account for 70% of its Apart from the rental increase Moreover, funding cuts by the total funding, and the rest is made faced by his organisation, Jeff Australia Council and Create up of philanthropy, corporate pointed out that individual NSW, and the policy of diverting sponsors and box office or co- artists and small-to-medium funding from the City to Western Sydney, have put further strain production revenue. According art organisations are facing on the affordability of cultural to Jeff, the changes to arts problems of accessing affordable space in the inner city for art funding a few years ago brought studios and rehearsal space. organisations. pressure to the organisation as This problem stems from two its recurrent funding was capped issues. First, Sydney in general Jeff wishes that cultural policy at significantly lower levels than is a very expensive city to live in, would focus on ‘making sure previously received, and also causing particular challenges for that our sort of independent because it was no longer eligible artists and cultural workers, who organisations who champion for project funding. To cope tend to earn very low incomes. artists’ work are well equipped with the shortfall in funding, Many artists and small artistic with spaces to work and [have] Performance Space reduced its organisations are gradually being money for creative development.’ staff from 12 to 6 people and pushed out of the city due to At present, Performance Space is financial pressure. Second, Jeff changed its mode of operation leveraging its long-term relations also sees problems in the NSW from a year-long program to an with education institutions government’s cultural policies. annual festival program. It also to access their studios and While the government has plans cut back other projects. rehearsal spaces, such as the to invest in cultural infrastructure, Rex Cramphorn Studio at the Performance Space is currently its focus is on iconic venues for University of Sydney’s Department facing the imminent prospect displaying art works, such as the of Theatre and Performance of further increases in rent for Sydney Modern development at Studies, and the Creative Practice Lab at the University of New South Wales’s School of Arts and Media.

26 CASE STUDIES

MOOGAHLIN Cornerstone Bar and Food, the of the space when it heard that in-house cafe, before moving to Carriageworks was interested in PERFORMING ARTS INC explore the space inside. having a First Peoples’ company as a resident company. So MPA http://www.moogahlin.org/ applied through an Expression The Venue of Interest and was successful. It The cavernous main area of initially had a small office which Venue Address Carriageworks is well known for became too small after a year, Carriageworks, 245 Wilson Street, its steel beams and high ceilings, when more staff came on board. Eveleigh, NSW 2015 and its former history as Eveleigh In addition to the co-artistic Rail Yards. We pass through an directors, there is now a part-time unobtrusive entryway, which managing director and a part-time General Facts leads us up some stairs to a payroll officer - as well as plans mezzanine, open-air corridor for an artistic associate. The space Moogahlin Performing Arts (MPA) of offices. It is here, hidden needs of Moogahlin have evolved belongs to the small-to-medium from the main foyer area, that since the group’s inception, with theatre sector and produces several arts organisations are the former centre of operations cross-cultural and interdisciplinary situated as resident companies being a filing cabinet, originally performance works. It is a of Carriageworks. Adding value located at the Redfern Community First People’s theatre company to the co-located space is the Centre, where co-artistic director located as a resident company of sharing of resources and the Lily Shearer was working at the Carriageworks, producing work linking to other companies in time. by First Peoples for First Peoples Carriageworks. For example, and the broader community. Vital to the work of Moogahlin is MPA’s finance officer rotates The organisation has been in the the growing ecology of local, rural across a few organisations within Carriageworks space for nearly and international partnerships the space. three years, with the lease, at the which surpasses the small space time of our interview, close to Moogahlin Performing Arts in which it operates. Being only being up for renewal. We spoke currently leases a residency space one of the few Aboriginal theatre to Liza-Mare Syron (co-artistic in Carriageworks, and its office companies in Australia (and the director of MPA, part of Moogahlin has four desks and can fit up to only one in New South Wales), Artistic Directorate) over a coffee seven people during busy times. MPA participates in a variety in the outdoor seating area of The organisation became aware of city, regional and overseas

27 CASE STUDIES forums. Examples of this variety ways, including support for local of connections include Griffin audiences, as well as for local Theatre Company, Blacktown artists and their families: ‘We’re a Arts Centre, the Festival of Redfern company; we came out of Biaime’s Ngunnhu (a community the community; we need to stay cultural development festival in the community and we need in Brewarrina), as well as a Tri- people to offer us space in the Nations International Exchange. community, because how many Aboriginal businesses do you see in Redfern?’ The Neighbourhood Another pressure point is the Significant residential and cutting back of course offerings business changes are evident Pressure Points for capacity building of Aboriginal in the area. For example, many A key pressure point is the actors, designers and directors. members of the Indigenous lack of availability of local For example, the local TAFE community were moved off The performance and rehearsal no longer offers performing arts courses, which has been Block in Redfern. More recently, spaces for Aboriginal people. a loss in terms of training local a large number of people in the When opportunities do arise, creative talent. With some local Waterloo community will be they are often only shared educational opportunities in affected by major development. spaces with short-term access. the arts dwindling, Moogahlin In terms of businesses, it is For example, Carriageworks only sometimes struggles to find evident that gentrification is offers space for six performances, encroaching, as is evident in the people to bring in and train in its where Moogahlin requires at programs. rise of boutique coffee shops least a four-week period for the and specialty stores. To balance intensive process leading up to Underlying all these some of these changes, Liza- performances. Moreover, there contemporary pressures is the Mare believes that more visible are local spaces which could fit significant need to respect the representation and ownership of their requirements, but these past, present and future of First Indigenous culture and enterprise spaces are currently underutilised Peoples. Redfern, as noted, is is vital. This is because Redfern due to restrictions on access historically a meeting place for is historically a meeting place and sharing. MPA has short- Aboriginal people from across for Aboriginal people across term, mid-term and long-term the country, and Liza-Mare sees the country, and this important strategies, and is currently looking a vital need for a local Aboriginal footprint that’s historical, role could be lost if not carefully for a partnership which supports economic, social and cultural. Not maintained. this strategic range. Ideally, the only is there a need to document Moogahlin is passionately clear organisation would like a mix of more comprehensively Black in its philosophy of supporting both short-term flexibility and History in Redfern and in wider the Redfern neighbourhood and long-term stability. The ability Sydney, there is a need for a Black community. This commitment to plan is gained when there is Theatre site which is self-managed is achieved in a number of longer-term vision and support. and owned. There are currently only three Black arts companies in Australia – with none owning a venue. For Moogahlin there is an ecology that needs not only to be supported and maintained, but also transformed, opening up a larger social and political conversation about Aboriginal people owning property and land. This focus on self-determination is not only to sustain current Aboriginal practices, but to inform capacity building, creating opportunities for Aboriginal stories to be told, written down, presented and engaged with - all from a place of their own.

28 CASE STUDIES

DUCKRABBIT The Venue during normal periods of work. The building is a long and narrow Of the original 180 square metres https://www.facebook.com/ one-story warehouse between of the warehouse, only a small duckrabbitart/ two rows of Victorian terraces. part is unobstructed, whilst Over the years, Hugh has built the remainder of the space is three mezzanines which are used fully occupied by the artists’ Venue Address to store artworks and equipment, workshops. When Duckrabbit and renovated the backyard 138 Little Eveleigh Street, Redfern, is running, the front area of the that the building shares with the NSW 2016 warehouse facing Little Eveleigh Esperanto Society. He has also Street is emptied and transformed coordinated the replacement of into an exhibition space. However, the roof with skylight panels that General Facts thanks to the recently-added bring more diffused light into movable walls, Hugh plans to 138 Little Eveleigh Street is the venue. In more recent times, arrange a working corner where a former shirt factory. In the movable walls have been added he is able to continue with his warehouse, owned by the to the front area of the warehouse own artistic work even during the New South Wales Esperanto in order to create a hallway shows. Society, four artists have their and to function as exhibition atelier (working space). Our support during the periods when As an experimental gallery, informant, visual artist Hugh Duckrabbit is operating. Thanks Duckrabbit only hosts personal Ramage, has had the lease in to his previous experience as and group exhibitions during his name for 15 years, while the a construction worker, Hugh Spring and Summer months. others have been sub-tenants himself has carried out most of Unlike traditional gallerists, Hugh for about 6/7 years. Hugh runs the architectural experimentation does not charge any percentage the day-to-day operations of with the way in which the studio on walk-in sales but only a flat the co-working arrangement as spaces are assembled. For fee for the space hire, which is well as an experimental gallery example, it was Hugh’s idea to the sole revenue stream of the called Duckrabbit, which holds have mobile plaster walls that operation. This business model temporary exhibitions of Sydney can be stored during exhibitions, might change in the future, artists whilst creating private studios but thus far it has allowed

29 CASE STUDIES

Hugh to maintain a light-touch attractive to young artists at that promotional marketing. management and to focus on time. his own art. The street window Hugh remembers that when he is the only year-round activity of Pressure Points first started spending time in Duckrabbit, being a display that Darlington in the early 1990s, As Hugh explains, despite can be hired. there were at least three other the arrival of Carriageworks warehouses occupied by artists and its positive effect on the in close proximity. Although they neighborhood, many artists The Neighbourhood have gone today, and all bar one have had to leave the area When Hugh moved into the replaced by apartment blocks, the because of booming real estate venue, he was looking for a establishment of Carriageworks as values. In the next few years warehouse space where he could a major performance venue has there will be further private and work on his art and on his startup, brought new vibrancy to the area. public investment as apart of 3d funky, an on-demand art New artist spaces have opened the Central-to-Eveleigh corridor service producing commissioned in recent years, and the position strategy of UrbanGrowth. The sculptures and unique objects. At of Duckrabbit’s window on the survival of 138 Little Eveleigh that time, he had been working street that connects Redfern Street has been possible because the owner of the venue is a in a squatted warehouse in the Station and Carriageworks is a not-for-profit organisation. CBD, which was demolished, great advantage. To leverage this The present rent ($30,000 per and in other similar spaces in network effect, Hugh schedules annum) is well below market the Redfern area. The availability Duckrabbit’s exhibitions in value, and for many years the of unobstructed open space, relation to major events taking Esperanto Society chose not the diverse nature of the urban place in Carriageworks. In this to raise the rent. Hugh’s good environment, as well as cheap way, he catches the pedestrian landlord-tenant relationship, and rents and affordable housing traffic without having overheads the non-commercial status of prices, made the area very such as an up-to-date website or the Society, are the reasons why this arrangement is not likely to change for the time being. If it did so, however, Hugh knows that he would not be able to afford a similar space in the area, and it would mean moving out of the city into a regional centre.

30 CASE STUDIES

WORK-SHOP http://www.work-shop.com.au

Venue Address 175-177 Cleveland Street, Redfern, NSW 2016

General Facts Work-Shop is a registered company which runs creative spaces in six Australian cities. Founded by Matt Branagan and Chester Garcia in 2013 as a partnership, Work-Shop’s original business model was based on offering creative courses held by local artists, artisans and do­ it-yourself craftspeople. Over the last 4 years, Work-Shop has enrolled more than 900 creatives to run classes and workshops and has built a reputation that has allowed it to expand the revenue stream with team building and other corporate services offered to private and public companies. At the moment, as Matt recalls, this is the company’s main source of income. The original idea behind Work-Shop, which persists for the use of a window gallery warehouse (550 square metres) today, is to have a space that in a heritage building in Oxford and the lease, which began as a could be activated with creative Street, Darlinghurst. Work-Shop’s monthly arrangement because classes, but also incorporate other idea was to use the space to the building was meant to be activities, such as exhibitions and showcase the handmade products craft retail. demolished and transformed into of local artisans, who can sell their apartments, became a two-year crafts by renting out one of the contract lasting until 2019. The Venue displays and with no commission fees. The enterprise is still The warehouse is split on two Work-Shop’s original location operating as Work-Shop Makery, levels, with high ceilings and in 2013 was a warehouse on a shop and creative lab where industrial flooring that allows Broadway, Chippendale, which customers can meet makers and great flexibility of activities. There was, however, rented only for buy their handcrafts. is a small kitchen and office space, a few months, as it was later while leftovers from the previous demolished to allow for the Work-Shop’s most recent base industrial activities, in particular Central Park redevelopment. At is a large warehouse in Redfern, cigarette advertising, are part of that point, Work-Shop moved on the corner of Cleveland and the ‘vibe’ that Matt likes about the Eveleigh Street. In the beginning, to Redfern, in a warehouse on space. George Street. However, that it shared the space with a vintage space, too, was rented on a French furniture retailer and Since 2014, Work-Shop has month-to-month basis and, not designer, who originally had a expanded from its Sydney long after the move, the lease was lease for the full warehouse. As headquarters to Melbourne, discontinued and the warehouse they shared the warehouse, Matt Adelaide, Lismore, Brisbane and was transformed into an upscale and Chester helped the furniture Fremantle. powerlifting gym. Meanwhile, designer downsize her business Work-Shop approached the City of and eventually to move out. At Sydney, which had launched a call that point, they took over the full

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The Neighbourhood The neighbourhood is a crucial aspect of Work-Shop’s business model. As its mission is to source local products, it needed a warehouse that was conveniently located close to other creative businesses, as well as to cafes and wine bars. Whilst the upper side of Eveleigh Street (the former Redfern Block) is about to undergo the Pemulwuy redevelopment, the lower side of Eveleigh Street is still dotted by some small industrial spaces. As such, it is a particularly appropriate location. In recent years, the warehouses in the area have been renovated and transformed into offices for creative workers. One block away, Aura Creatives runs a co-working and event space, whilst the warehouse on the other side of the road has been recently redeveloped as offices for small creative businesses, a cafe (Henry Lee’s) and a boutique wine merchant (Cake Wines). Matt and Chester have used these neighbouring businesses for their own classes, and for catering purposes as well as to approach creatives. The importance of being located in an area such as Redfern, as Pressure Points Matt explains, also relates to the types of customer that Work­ Matt acknowledges that very short Shop’s classes attract. These rental contracts are an issue, but are mostly corporate workers considers that overcoming such who have day-jobs in the CBD. difficulties underpins Work-Shop’s Therefore, Work-Shop would resilience and low-maintenance not consider moving outside the management. He is not worried inner-city area, as such a move about moving again or finding would affect its business. Even another similar space, despite Marrickville, less than 7 kilometres the gradual disappearance of away, would be too far, although warehouse spaces in the inner Matt has considered the option. city.

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SEMI-PERMANENT https://www.semipermanent.com

Venue Address 15 Woodburn Street, Redfern, NSW, 2016

General Facts According to its website, Semi- Permanent is a ‘global creative and design thinking platform’. It was founded in 2002 and is best known for operating eponymous annual design events in Sydney and Auckland. The company also provides boutique design services and is developing a lab for novel digital experiences using technology such as Google VR. It employs a flexible staff team of between 5 and 15 people across the two cities, and outsources work to a large number of freelance artists, designers and technicians depending on demand. We interviewed Luke Woods, Head of Studio, in the company’s Redfern office.

The Venue Semi-Permanent operates on the ground floor of a converted two-storey industrial building at the end of Woodburn Street in Redfern. The building is next to the busy rail lines connecting Redfern and Central Station. The business is run in a small open plan space, approximately 75 (15 x 5) square metres in size. is similar to that of many office relative mobility as well as the Another production company, blocks, and the selection of the current informal nature of the Rabbit Content, operates in an building appeared to be on the arrangement. adjoining space. With no clear basis of its low cost and aesthetic physical boundary (wall or door) appeal. between them, staff from the two The Neighbourhood Beyond furniture and computer businesses frequently collaborate. equipment, Semi-Permanent The neighbourhood, in the Semi-Permanent rents its space also appears to have very little north-western corner of Redfern from Rabbit Content through in terms of equipment or stock, bordered by Cleveland Street, a leasing arrangement that and would presumably find little was formerly a light industrial is informal, and two other difficulty in relocating to other area that is now heavily occupied businesses are co-tenants in the comparable spaces in the area if by creative industries and same building. required. Length and conditions technology start-ups very similar Despite the industrial origins of lease did not appear to be a in profile to Semi-Permanent. of the building, its current use concern, possibly because of this Nearby businesses, for example,

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boast names like ‘Massive Interactive’, ‘Aura Co-working’, ‘Helix Collective’ and ‘Future Reference’. The concentration of new technology-oriented creative industry businesses, in retrofitted and comparatively cheap building stock, is of benefit to its tenants. As Luke mentioned, the company’s central location means that staff can easily and be operationally more typical of quickly meet with clients, partners small technology operations: agile and freelancers, who are often and flexible, able to call on an also located in Redfern or nearby extensive network of freelancers, suburbs like Surry Hills. The contractors and businesses, and annual Semi-Permanent event is far more dependent upon fast Internet services, public transport currently held at Carriageworks, options and accessibility to local which is a relatively short distance clients than on advantageous away on the other side of Redfern. building leases, specific building Semi-Permanent stated that they facilities, or access to local had little interaction with local government services. government, and this appears to be a common characteristic of similar businesses in this pocket Pressure Points of Redfern. As a digitally-oriented According to Luke, Semi- agency, it has comparatively Permanent experiences relatively little dependence on its spatial few pressure points due to its environment - issues such as location. Some staff face lengthy venue size, natural light, sound commute times, which is partly proofing and roller doors or mitigated by the company’s ground floor access were not heavy digital focus and use of significant. Staff were likely to freelancers working off-site. Luke meet other businesses informally also discussed the sometimes- - at local coffee shops, for dilapidated state of Woodford example - and to commute via Street, including uncollected public transport or bike, meaning rubbish on the street. However, that parking was not raised as an neither of these constituted issue of importance. significant concerns to the On our walk around the business. neighbourhood, these features seemed to apply equally to many of the other design-oriented firms in the area. Semi-Permanent appears to have similar client and staff profiles to many of the artistic and creative businesses in Redfern and Green Square, but we imagine Semi-Permanent to

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FBi RADIO in 2003. the organisation has evolved and she is increasingly working as an As part of the licence agreement, advocate for the emerging music FBi’s mandate is to have an https://fbiradio.com/ sector, especially in the aftermath emphasis on youth and emerging of the lock-out regulations that cultures. In compliance with have had a severe impact on the this mission, it is a community- Venue Address live music scene in the city. based station, with volunteer 44-54 Botany Road, Alexandria, broadcasters, writers and NSW 2015 producers. Furthermore, FBi The Venue broadcasts a ratio of at least 50% Australian music, of which During its trial period, FBi General Facts at least half is from musicians broadcast from different FBi (Free Broadcast inc.) Radio based in Sydney. As a not-for­ temporary locations around the is the major community-based profit organisation, FBi is run city, until the licence allowed radio station in New South by a management committee the radio station to establish Wales, describing itself on its and is registered as a charity. Its permanent headquarters on the website as an ‘independent running costs, however, are only ground floor of a 1970’s building youth broadcaster’. FBi was in very small portion covered by on Botany Road in Alexandria founded in 1995 and ran a series public funds and donations. For —where the station has been of month-long test broadcasts the most part, the radio is self- based ever since. Only endowed for many years, following the financed through sponsorships, with a small initial budget, the federal government’s promise subscriptions and events. interior fittings for the station were recycled from another radio to allocate the last three FM Clare Holland, our interlocutor, station, which was coincidentally licenses in Sydney. After a trial is the managing director at renovating its headquarters at the campaign, during which FBi and FBi Radio. After a career in the time FBi was settling into the new other broadcasters alternated, creative sector, in particular location. the Australian Broadcasting as executive director of the Authority granted FBi Radio the Underbelly Art Festival, Clare has Today, FBi’s space features a last available licence in Sydney been involved with FBi since its community area, managing office, and the station launched full-time launch. In recent years, her role in music library, broadcasting and

35 CASE STUDIES server room, voice recording the community area, an L-shaped, booth, meeting room, and two unobstructed room that is used recording studios. As Clare points for different purposes. In a out, FBi headquarters reflect, in normal configuration, the room many ways, the recent and rapid hosts a reception on wheels, large evolution of radio broadcasting. tables, and computer-equipped Some of the spaces once required hot desks that can be used by by radio are not as important volunteers. All the furniture has any longer: for example, FBi’s been designed so as to be easily extensive physical music library removed when the broadcast is just used as an archive, whilst features live music performed all music is now stored on local by bands or large groups of servers. Similarly, the present people. As Clare explains, this is a possibility to record phone makeshift solution to the lack of interviews easily makes a small a large recording studio, but thus Radio is a member. booth—originally conceived far it has worked. The perceived lack of safety for that purpose—obsolete. generated the need to create a Moreover, the space that was protected environment for the allocated to the broadcasting The Neighbourhood volunteers, some of whom would equipment and servers is now FBi Radio’s present location is be on-air overnight. Therefore, the oversized, given that the machines on the border between Redfern, premises were fully securitised have become much smaller. Alexandria and Waterloo, on the with gates and 24-hour CCTV Also, the two separate recording ground floor of a 1970s office cameras. However, Clare notes studios are a reminder of the complex overlooking the busy that the neighbourhood has evolution of the radio. Originally, road that connects the suburbs rapidly changed in the last few they were used to broadcast to the airport. Not far away are years. As a result, the area is not separately on FM and DAB+ the Australian Technology Park, only safer, but some of the artists (digital radio) as FBi was running the new Commonwealth Bank working in the same complex two different channels, FBi Radio Headquarters under construction, were no longer able to afford and FBi Click. Recently, the digital Redfern Station and the large increasing rents and have been channel has been discontinued social housing blocks of Waterloo. replaced by creative industry and some programs transferred organisations with greater As Clare recollects, this peculiar to the FM channel, which is now resources, such as advertising geography was originally the duplicated on digital radio. For agencies. reason why FBi Radio could afford this reason, one of the studios moving into the area. Back then, For Clare, this is a problematic is now used 24 hours for radio the surroundings were perceived shift, in particular because the programming, and the other as unsafe, and rents were area is caught up in a double for pre-recording and training generally cheap considering its process: one of fast gentrification purposes. Given the community proximity to the CBD. The building and the other involving much nature of FBi, new volunteer was shared with other creatives, slower change, since the large broadcasters use the second artists and designers, as well as public housing estates are likely studio to familiarise themselves by another not-for-profit cultural to stay for some time. In her with the equipment and to gain organisation, the Community opinion, creative workers and confidence before going on air. Broadcasting Association of studios constitute something The largest room in the venue is Australia (CBAA), of which FBi of a social buffer between low-

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involved in events and activities by the City of Sydney fail to cater that take place in other parts of to the needs of organisations that the city, such as Western Sydney. require costly interior fittings, with However, relocating further short-term leasing making the away from the inner city would financial investment in relocation mean losing the network effect unsustainable. In the years to created by larger radio and media come, maintaining a space in the outlets that are based in the inner city on a long-term contract nearby neighbourhoods. Being will be FBi’s major challenge. spatially close to Sydney’s ABC A second challenge for FBi is less Radio headquarters (including specifically about the availability the youth-oriented Triple J of venues for the station, but station), for example, means concerns the availability of space that FBi can more easily invite for music creation and production the international guests that are that foster the necessary talent appearing on major radio outlets, pipeline. As FBi, via its mandate, which they would not be able to broadcasts a high proportion afford otherwise. of music produced in Sydney, the disappearance of live music venues affects the potential of Pressure Points the station and the diversity of income residents and the process Rent and the temporary nature its programming, as well as the of urban renewal that attracts of leasing contracts are the major possibility for young musicians new, wealthier inhabitants. As pressure point for a community to breakthrough. For this reason, this middle layer disappears, radio broadcaster like FBi. Until FBi Radio has been critical of and whilst plans to replace the recently, the station had enjoyed the regulatory choices by the social housing blocks are under a relatively fortunate situation, NSW government around the discussion, the diversity and with a below market-value rent night-time economy in Sydney. cohesion of the neighbourhood is for over more than a decade. These, Clare argues, have had under threat. Although the rent has increased an enduring impact, not only on The central position of FBi’s in the recent past, FBi still benefits the economy itself, but also by current headquarters in relation from a 3-year contract, which inhibiting the emergence of the to Greater Metropolitan Sydney, can be extended for a further musical talent that the station over which its coverage extends, 3 years. In practical terms, this is dedicated to promote and is vital. Clare explains that this arrangement bestows a certain cultivate. centrality also means neutrality, degree of certainty. However, as the accessibility of FBi’s it would not be able to afford premises via public transport moving, if required, to a new affords the possibility of becoming location on a short-term contract. a radio volunteer to young people Relocating expensive radio residing all over the metropolitan equipment and redeveloping area. Also, the close proximity of recording studios in a new some of the major universities building is an investment that is is seen as fundamental to the only sustainable over the long community base of the radio. term. This is where, according to This does not mean that FBi is not Clare, the creative spaces offered

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STUDIO DAMIEN The Venue industrial horizontal bandsaw for cutting steel or metal. Inside According to Damien, the building BUTLER the building there is a digital was originally built before 1940s, corner with a laser cutter and and was used as a depot for the 3D scanner, and an industrial https://www.instagram.com/ storage of agricultural machinery. robot arm that can be used studiodamienbutler/ Before Damien moved in, the for the installation of Damien’s building was empty and had been sculptures or other artwork. At used occasionally as storage for Venue Address the other end of the building the floats of the Chinese New there is an air compressor 11 Gibbons Street, Redfern, NSW Year Parade. The total site is specifically designed for artists to 2016 380 square metres in size and use for spray painting, cleaning the indoor space is 200 square surfaces, and spraying metal. He metres. The rent is $100 per also owns a large machine called General Facts square metre per annum of a CNC router, which is used for usable space. The building has Studio Damien Butler is a cutting hard materials, and a two levels. Upstairs has been contemporary art studio mainly dewaxing kiln for a process called turned into an office for staff used by the Sydney-based artist ‘investment casting’, to name just members, while downstairs and his team. Damien’s projects a few functions. consists primarily of open-plan include sculptural installations, art workspaces, material stores and Damien explained the importance furniture, objects and designing a multi-purpose room that can of having this equipment. Paying a interiors. Damien has completed be used as a dark room or spray company to process raw materials a number of major commissions, booth. for making an artwork incurs huge including an art installation at the cost. For example, the cutting Commonwealth Parliamentary One of the special features of the cost for a piece of metal with a Offices in Sydney. He formerly studio is that it is full of industrial bandsaw can be as much as the operated an artist studio called machinery. At the main entrance cost of the metal itself. Similarly, ‘The Assemblages’ in a warehouse of the workshop building there is paying an external company for awaiting development in an overhead gantry crane, which using the CNC router costs over Chippendale. In 2012 he moved is used to lift heavy materials $100 per hour. If Damien needs to his current location, a vacant or sculptures in and out of to cut a whole sheet of acrylic into building owned by the City of the studio from a truck. In the the shapes that he needs, then Sydney on a commercial lease. outdoor space there is also an the cutting cost alone will be a few

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thousand dollars. With his own machinery, not only can Damien save on production costs through vertical integration (control of the whole production process), but work for him, as they do not equipment in the studio as the he can also formulate new ideas generally have cars. Damien installation cost is very high. and conduct experiments, while has noticed the gentrification Despite his stringent efforts, it developing work and also letting of Redfern, and a block near seems that he is not currently other artists use his equipment his studio has been turned into close to finding another suitable and training young artists in how student accommodation. In fact, studio for his team. to use these machines to produce Damien is also facing the impact artwork. This capacity generates Damien also feels that Sydney’s of residential development in flow-on effects and benefits for economic environment is not the area, as the block where his the wider artistic community sympathetic for artists. They studio is located, and the one usually earn very little income, through a bottom-up effect. next door, will be developed into but their studio and other living affordable housing. Damien will Damien imagines that, without costs are high. Also, sculptors have to move out of his studio this equipment, he would or installation artists tend to when his lease expires. probably have to outsource face more constraints in finding the production of the artwork While considering potential suitable studio space than to other local or overseas options for his next studio, other types of artist, as they companies through an agent. Damien ruled out the possibility of have substantial machinery and These companies usually charge moving to Western Sydney. One equipment, and usually require very high fees, and the artist may of the major reasons is transport, more spacious and specially- only receive a fraction of the as he can foresee that his trainees designed studios to accommodate total budget. As Damien said, ‘We would not want travel to spend safety and noise restrictions do everything we can in-house just a couple of hours in the when using their machinery. and that is the only way to learn studio only to travel back into the Government programs to to innovate, and I can spread city (given that the latter is where support artists’ creative spaces that money and knowledge into they mostly live). Also, it would usually offer short- to medium- the artist community so that be hard to get a curator to travel term leases, but these may not creatives can afford to live in this out of the city to participate in the be suitable as it is difficult for environment.’ development of work. Damien these artists to relocate their has an eye on a property in the operations. nearby suburb Alexandria, but The Neighbourhood He wishes that all levels of considers it too expensive for him government could see the Being located in Redfern is to purchase now considering that importance of supporting important for Damien. It is close the price has increased 3 times in artists’ experimental works and to the city and, more importantly, the last 4 years. creative spaces, not only because to the railway station and airport, his machinery can help build as Damien needs to work in knowledge and competence different places in Australia Pressure Points among other artists and trainees, and to showcase his works Facing the uncertain future of his but also because many of his overseas. He lives in Glebe in studio, Damien admitted that it works will end up in the public the inner west and can travel will have an impact on his future domain for the wider public to to his studio by walking, car or plans and how he organises his enjoy, thus generating cultural bicycle. Being close to public work and employees. He would benefit for the wider society that transport is also important for hesitate to upgrade some of might not be exposed to art in the the young artists, trainees who the facilities or to install new gallery context.

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GALERIE POMPOM to support young and emerging the founders shifted to a more artists with an exhibition space curated calendar of fortnightly - FORMER MOP that could be used as a catalyst and monthly shows. As the years PROJECTS to become recognised and, passed, MOP also started hosting eventually, to find commercial mid-career and established artists, patrons. The founders’ university- recognising and responding to http://www.galeriepompom.com/ based network was initially the dearth of non-commercial the basis for MOP’s immediate exhibition spaces in the city. success, as they had access to Venue Address In 2007, MOP moved to Galerie promising artists who were just Pompom’s current premises in 39 Abercrombie Street, out of their education careers and Chippendale, after striking a deal Chippendale, NSW 2008 could use MOP as a springboard. with a Brisbane-based collector Many of these young artists, who had opened a commercial George recounts, have since art gallery in the building and had General Facts become some of the best-known gone out of business not long painters and sculptors in Sydney. Galerie pompom is a commercial after. The gallerist had signed a art gallery located on Abercrombie MOP was originally located on 3-year lease and so was looking Street, Chippendale. It is the the third floor of a former rag to sublet to an organisation commercial offshoot of one of the trade warehouse on Elizabeth supporting young artists. George most highly regarded artist-run Street, in the heart of Redfern. remembers that moving was a initiatives (ARI) in Sydney, MOP The exhibition space was small, difficult decision, because the Projects, which was discontinued and there was no visibility from rent in the new building would in 2016 after hosting more than the road, but the rent was very have been much higher than in 400 collective and personal shows cheap and this made it possible Redfern, even if still below market over 13 years. MOP Projects to start up MOP with week- rate. Moving meant renegotiating was founded in 2003 by George long shows and very small rent also all the deals, including raising Adams with Kyle Jenkins and charge to the artists. Despite rent fees, that MOP had with the Billy Gruner, who were among the lack of street exposure, artists who were in the calendar the first PhD graduates of the the initiative was immediately for the following year. However, Sydney College for the Arts. The successful via word of mouth the new location was very idea behind the initiative was within the art community, and attractive because it was on street

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much smaller experimental space, The Venue before being discontinued. The Chippendale venue is on the Before the end of MOP, the ground level of a multi-storey balancing act between the non­ brick warehouse, which was level and had a shop-front that commercial initiative, which part of the industrial precinct would increase the visibility of the received support from Arts NSW, that supported the operations initiative, as well as of the artists. and the commercial retail side, of Darling Harbour until the That was the main reason for the was difficult. The main reason for early 1980’s. It is surrounded by final decision to relocate, and the MOP’s discontinuation, however, similar industrial buildings, most artists involved were all excited was that the rent had become too of which have been repurposed. about the change. high to afford an experimental, On the other side of the road, the imposing Central Park After the end of the subcontract, non-profit institution in redevelopment has replaced Galerie pompom took the full conjunction with a commercial abandoned warehouses and a lease of the commercial space. gallery. Nonetheless, George large brewery complex. The venue This was a great financial feels that the eventual closing has a shop-front on Abercrombie undertaking and determined down of MOP Projects was part Street, with a large window some important changes in of its natural trajectory as an ARI. looking into a square-shaped the business model of the After 13 years, MOP developed space that the gallery uses to organisation. With the 10th year into a commercial art gallery showcase the experimental side anniversary of MOP, George which, nonetheless, maintains of pompom. In the back lane, decided to open a commercial an experimental side, allowing the building has a loading dock gallery on the side — Galerie both emerging and established with an overhead door which pompom — with gallerist artists, even when represented facilitates the movement of large Samantha Ferris. They felt that by other galleries, to use one of artworks. The space inbetween is cultivating and mentoring young the rooms of the venue to set partitioned by walls creating three artists, who would then be taken up their work without thinking different spaces: the experimental up by other commercial galleries, about commercial viability. This pompom Projects space on the was not sustainable in the long non-commercial aspect of Galerie front, the main commercial gallery term, and wanted to maintain pompom is called pompom in the middle, and office space in longer relationships with the Projects and, although it is run the back. talents that they were nurturing. in the same way as MOP was, Initially, Galerie pompom was a with a public call for emerging The experimental space was small addition, even paying rent artists, it no longer receives public bigger in the original layout of to MOP, which remained the funding as it is now part of a fully the building, but the commercial main enterprise. Over five years, commercial business. needs of the gallery required however, the gallery grew into a the expansion of the latter to sustainable business, and MOP the detriment of the former. The shrunk, also physically, into a gallery itself now features two

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to create a reputation around that space. When he discontinued MOP, he found out that many other ARIs had closed down, and their overall number had significantly decreased over the years. The possibility of shifting from a non-commercial initiative to a commercial art gallery was afforded by the kind of reputation that MOP managed to create. In the contemporary conjuncture of lack of space, high rents, and diminishing support for the arts, George feels that it would be very hard for young artists to replicate now what was possible a decade ago in the City of Sydney. Although MOP was always successful in receiving support from the State government, different exhibition areas so that shift is that artists cannot afford George also feels that there is pompom can host three artists at to live in the neighbourhood a hindering layer of red tape the same time. The back office anymore, and ARIs are less and preventing young artists or is a small space with not much less likely to be initiated within the enterprising initiatives in the storage capacity. For this reason, City of Sydney boundaries. creative sector easily to access the pompom catalogue is mostly The gentrification of Chippendale, public support, both in terms virtual, with an online stockroom George explains, has not had a of funding and suitable space. and store. bad effect on Galerie pompom, In particular, grant applications, which are necessary to guarantee but it did have an impact. The that funds are distributed on reason for discontinuing the merit-based criteria, take a long The Neighbourhood non-commercial ARI, in favour time to prepare. Young and small George recalls that both the of keeping only the commercial creative operations may not have original Redfern venue and the gallery, was dictated by the the human and economic capital increasing rents. The new social subsequent space in Chippendale to produce a competitive project fabric of the area is good for the were opened at a time when proposal, meaning that the business, but led to a reduction of the areas were considered present system tends to favour the more experimental side of the unsafe, but, at the same time, more established organisations, original initiative. very attractive for young artists. or single artists who can afford to Over the course of 13 years, take the time to apply for public these areas have radically funds. changed, creating more business Pressure Points opportunities for the commercial In George’s experience, the main gallery, given the increased challenge to maintaining a viable pedestrian traffic and the number ARI at first, and a commercial of residents who have moved into art gallery now, has everything the new developments such as to do with the availability of Central Park. The downside of this affordable space and the capacity

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GRUMPY SAILOR for separate workshop and office spaces. Ideally, it needed two The Venue spaces that could sit next to each http://www.grumpysailor.com Grumpy Sailor is currently based other. on the first floor of a building in The company was happy to find Alexandria (approximately 220 a ‘blank-space’ place: a neutral, Venue Address square metres in size), located empty area upon which it could on the corner of Henderson Suite 1, Level 2, 44-45 Botany imprint its own identity (and Road, Alexandria, NSW 2015 and Botany Road, and above could take the risk of setting up FBi Radio. When looking for a infrastructure because business space, the organisation wanted was strong). It is a T-shaped area, General Facts to be close to the city and found with all the designers, project it difficult to find anywhere Grumpy Sailor is a multi­ managers and developers in a affordable or appropriate. For rectangular, shared area at one disciplinary creative company example, Chippendale was end, a closed and open meeting working at the nexus of design, enormously expensive for really area in the middle, and then a technology and story. The small spaces, the CBD had only workshop down the other end organisation has been in business office space with low ceilings (where all the experiments, for five years and has operated in their price range, Newtown/ research, development, and builds across a variety of spaces: initially Enmore and other parts of the happen). Grumpy Sailor tried out of a kitchen, then desk-surfing inner west had access issues for to keep the space as open plan for a while at Google, followed staff, and anywhere beyond was as possible, with meetings and by a 2-year lease at Pyrmont either too expensive or lacked collaborations often scheduled Woolsheds and an 11 month any creative atmosphere. When for the morning, keeping the sublease from Carbonate at 36 embarking on their search, the afternoons for more solo-focused Wyndham St. The company is now company’s requirements were work. It also offers a co-working based in Alexandria on a five-year quite specific: a venue to house space – currently shared with a lease offered by Dana Holdings both their physical technology film production company and Pty Ltd. We spoke to James Boyce, workshop and multidisciplinary a motion graphics team. This Creative Director and Founder of team. Grumpy Sailor does a lot arrangement has the dual value Grumpy Sailor. of ‘big builds’, and so was looking of additional contributions to

43 CASE STUDIES the rent and opportunities to collaborate. Grumpy Sailors’ clients span a number of ‘blue chip’ and cultural organisations, both locally, nationally and around the world (London, San Francisco, Singapore). Currently, it is comprised of 16 full-time and 1 part-time staff, alongside approximately 10 to 15 freelancers, with numbers ramping up and down depending on the available work. The organisation has an extensive national and international network of the contractors, which also expands and contracts, depending on project requirements. from its ability to be part of a community. The urban planning currently underway seems to The Neighbourhood Pressure Points be unable or unwilling to foster Proximity to the city, public As a new, cutting-edge grassroots community spaces, transport and clients is vital to multidisciplinary arts organisation, instead favouring wall-to-wall the organisation. Some staff Grumpy Sailor is keen to build a apartment building or ‘big-end-of­ travel from as far afield as sustainable creative business that town’ commercial infrastructure Carlingford in the West and grows in Sydney. However, there (such as the Commonwealth Bank Rockdale in the South, with is potential that Sydney-based building going up in Alexandria). many travelling from the inner- clients may become fewer and From the experience of Grumpy western and eastern suburbs. farther between if the challenging Sailor, it is also apparent that What also strongly appeals to landscape of developer-led short-term leases (e.g. month by the Grumpy Sailor team is the urban planning in Sydney is not month) can sometimes inhibit diversity of the community addressed. For example, high the innovation and advancement around the neighbourhood, rent expectations and inflexible of organisations just starting as well as the variety of pubs, office floor-plans can easily push out. For example, difficulties can cafés and libraries with free innovative organisations out in the sometimes arise in building up wi-fi which provide relaxed,ad search for more affordable and business due to the inability to hoc meeting places. It is starkly flexible spaces. Creativity within find a fixed space in which to apparent to people living and an organisation stems directly invest. working in the neighbourhood that gentrification of the area is on the rise, alongside increasing rents. The Australian Technology Park was originally intended to be a place of small-medium scale innovative businesses and to be grassroots in that respect. It is largely perceived by both Grumpy Sailor and the wider community that the addition of larger companies, like Channel 7 and the Commonwealth Bank, will destroy the creative and innovative, grassroots fabric of the community (with many smaller companies already moving on from the area).

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sustain its business: • Programmable low-cost public spaces dedicated to creative exploration. • Collaboration/meetup spaces for creatives to come together. • Low-cost hire spaces nearby to setup testing environments. • Unused private space offered as a place to showcase work. • Online selection programs where creative individuals and small creative teams can be connected with creative companies with unused desks looking to collaborate. Technical hiccups can still occur everyone’s way. • Limits on how much ‘big-end­ as online collaborations become Overall, the company views of-town’ infrastructure and more standard. With virtual and itself, like any other business, development can be poured remote collaboration on the rise, as dependent on relationships, into the city fringe. many organisations are still not and strongly recognises how set up to work efficiently in this manner. For example, setting much creativity comes from up Skype or Google Hangouts people being together in a offers spaces for collaboration, room. Its sustainable, creative yet negotiating the firewalls business model is being built on some clients’ IT systems on sharing, collaboration, an can drastically inhibit cross­ agile methodology, and bespoke organisational communications. projects. This approach means It is sometimes easier to work that growth stems from investing ‘virtually’ with companies and not only in infrastructure, but organisations in Europe and also in staff, clients and ideas. It Asia than those just ‘down the is this long-term investment and road’. Grumpy Sailor has even commitment which inspires arts had government employees and cultural innovation - and is ‘hotspot off’ their personal mobile clearly desired and required on a phones for a video conference broader, city-wide scale. Grumpy rather than be forced to navigate Sailor has mentioned that several the IT nightmare that stands in things could help to grow and

45 CASE STUDIES

Green Square Village Case Studies

Green Square’s cultural venues are dominated by ‘Commercial and Enterprise’ and ‘Festival, Event and Public’ spaces. Many of the spaces identified as ‘Festival, Event and Public’ are small or mid- sized parks, such as Waterloo Park on McEvoy Street. Alexandria Park Community School and the Latin Dance House, in the top left of the figure, and Green Square School are the main spaces recorded for ‘Community and Participation’ and ‘Practice, Education and Development’. According to our Mapping Culture database, there are no spaces designated primarily for ‘Performance and Cultural Venues in Green Square Village from Ang et al., 2016 ( •Performance and Exhibition Exhibition’. Spaces •Festival, Event and Public Spaces •Commercial and Enterprise Spaces •Practice, Education and Development Spaces •Community and Participation Spaces) Green Square is a very large urban renewal project, and its cultural infrastructure is, on the whole, new or still being developed. To meet the needs of the growing population in the Village, a number of cultural venue and infrastructure projects are currently under construction in Green Square and due to be completed in early to mid 2018. A flagship project is the construction of an underground library and a public plaza in the Green Square town centre. A 7-storey glass building housing community rooms, reading rooms, technology suites and music rooms has been constructed in the plaza. Upon completion, the library and plaza will become an essential public space for festivals and community

46 CASE STUDIES events (City of Sydney 2018a). Green Square Community and Cultural Precinct is currently developed by the City of Sydney 13 on the site of the former South Sydney Hospital (City of Sydney, 2018b). The former Esme Cahill 12 nurses’ quarters have been turned into the Joynton Avenue Creative 14 Centre to provide creative offices, artists’ studios, a gallery, jewelry making benches, and co-working 16 space for artists and the creative community. 107 Projects has been selected by the Council to operate the venue. Nearby, the outpatient building of the old hospital has been turned into the Waranara Early Education Centre, while the 15 former pathology building has been transformed into the Banga Community Shed for hosting workshops and a wide range of activities. New public artworks, such as While I Live I Will Grow by Maria Fernanda Cardoso, has been commissioned by the City of Sydney.

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12. Square One Studios 13. aMBUSH Gallery 14. The Nest Creative Space 15. Studios 301 16. Stables Studios

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SQUARE ONE STUDIOS floors of a self-contained section premises, it is close to a number (approximately one-fifteenth) of of supply shops, such as Bunnings a large Harvey Norman logistics and Sydney Art Supplies, and http://sq1.net.au/ centre. Front access requires a five-minute walk from Green security clearance through a Square Station. large gate occupying a driveway A quirk of the sub-tenancy ar­ Venue Address used by Harvey Norman delivery rangement relating to building trucks. The downstairs area is 32 Bowden Street, Alexandria, security is that, in order to gain approximately 250 square metres NSW 2015 access, every artist is on the in size, and the upstairs area 650 Harvey Norman staff list. The square metres. The previous initial lease took 5 months and 4 tenant was Chubb Security, and General Facts meetings to negotiate, due in part the upstairs area includes a fully Square One Studios is a to the leaser’s scepticism concern­ insulated vault that has been creative arts studio complex, ing artistic use of the space. The repurposed as a sound recording housing forty-five artists. It is an lease is a rolling two-year term, studio. independent, self-funded and self- and Square One contributes to sufficient business. Artists can opt Square One relocated from a the site’s overheads on a pro rata for a short or long-term residency, much larger location in Erski­ basis, calculated on the basis of and current tenants include neville, which was suddenly sold square metres. Since Square One painters, sculptors, authors and and redeveloped into residential is already a sub-tenant, it offers sound artists. apartments. In choosing the cur­ ‘licenses’ rather than sub-tenan­ rent location, Sean wanted to find cies to artists, and is operated as a We interviewed the proprietor of a lease ‘in the heart of an industri­ for-profit business. However, Sean Square One, Sean Morris. al area’ to limit the likelihood of a suggested the economics of art similar situation. While the loca­ production - where artists will not tion is further from cafes and the pay more than $10 per week per The Venue kind of ‘idyllic’ village-like streets- square metre - means that Square The business is split across two cape that marked the Erskineville One is a low-margin business and

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Pressure Points Square One’s current location appears comparatively secure. It is dependent upon the main tenant - Harvey Norman ­ continuing to use the location as a distribution centre. In an ideal world, Sean would prefer roller door access and a a ‘passion project’ for Sean and his ground floor location closer to partner. Central Station, with easy walking access to the CBD. He has scouted various locations in Surry Hills, The Neighbourhood but found them ‘really expensive’. The surrounding area is a mix While he has considered setting of warehousing facilities similar up a satellite operation outside to the Harvey Norman centre, the CBD - and has inspected a business offices and large retail space in Hurlstone Park in the stores, including The Base inner west, for instance - city Warehouse, a low-cost arts access is essential ‘for two and crafts shop, and Bunnings reasons: because the curators Warehouse - both convenient for are here, the gallerists are here some of Square One’s tenants. and you get more credibility being centrally located.’

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AMBUSH GALLERY between the placemaking program, very few developers business and the gallery remains were investing in public art, very strong, as aMBUSH is almost let alone in more holistic and http://ambushgallery.com/ entirely financed by the various intangible programs of public curatorial and consulting activities space activation. A turning point that Bill and John’s team runs for was the activation of Darling Venue Address public and private organisations, Quarter, with an exhibition, a film 4 James Street, Waterloo, NSW in particular for real-estate festival and an interactive public 2017 developers. art installation which allowed passers-by to play with the The gallery began as an lighting of the building facades. experiment with friends, whereby General Facts That project was accompanied by the founders opened a safe other large-scale initiatives, such aMBUSH Gallery is a very active, space for street artists at a time as Outpost at Cockatoo Island, in non-profit gallery which offers when street art was not entirely 2011, which turned out to be the a physical exhibition space understood in Australia, and could largest street art festival in the and other curated programs to even be criminalised. Since then, world to date, or the Central Park emerging and established street its role in the creative community pop-up gallery, which, starting artists. Over the last 10 years, of emerging urban art has been in March 2015, featured over the gallery has hosted more than fully established, consulted 200 events over the following 18 4,000 artists from Australia and for various public agencies in months. overseas, becoming one of the developing arts programs, and best-known contemporary art eventually being involved in the aMBUSH is a social enterprise destinations in Sydney. drafting of the first Cultural Policy sustained by the public art and for the City of Sydney. placemaking projects that Bill aMBUSH was founded in and John curate, manage and run 2007 by Bill Dimas and John One of the reasons for aMBUSH’s with their own company. Over the Wiltshire — who managed success, as explained by Bill, has course of the years, the founders their own creative placemaking been its capacity to introduce have diversified aMBUSH’s consultancy, Wiltshire + Dimas placemaking and creative space operations in order to enhance Management — with the idea activation in the landscape of real- the financial sustainability of the of creating a physical venue for estate development in Australia, gallery. The bigger vision for the street artists and connecting and to use it as a platform to future is to develop aMBUSH into them to placemaking and other support emerging artists and a stable operation, a museum-like creative programs in which they designers. As he recalls, when he cultural centre featuring artworks were involved. The relationship and John started their consulting and performances that are not

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At street level, aMBUSH also rents a large garage which fits about four cars. This space is used for storing artwork, but also as temporary studio space occasionally given to artists from overseas or to those who do not have a studio in Sydney. The first floor is subdivided into two main areas: one for John and Bill’s team, and the other for Cardinal Spin, a public relations company that is aMBUSH’s featured publicist. Because of its placemaking and other curatorial activities, the operations of aMBUSH are not limited to the venue in Waterloo, with projects spanning the city and beyond. In the past, for example, the founders were planning to open a satellite space in Parramatta. Although that spinoff did not eventuate, John and Bill still see the possibility of relocating, especially to a neighbourhood that needs the usually taken up by traditional occupied by Fairfax photographic kind of creative re-activation that galleries or museums. studios. Initially, Bill and John only aMBUSH can offer. For this research, we interviewed took over the ground floor of the building, where they set up their Bill — one of the two co-founders The Neighbourhood — in their Waterloo office space. offices. Once they started having more exhibitions, they realised As Bill explains, the location of that two different spaces were aMBUSH on a closed lane off busy The Venue needed for exhibitions and for Botany Road, in Waterloo, means desk work. Therefore, they rented not only that the gallery is easily aMBUSH’s current venue is accessible from the CBD, but the floor above and moved the a two-storey warehouse on also that it can use the lane as a offices upstairs. Overall, they James Street, a dead-end lane in public space. Public transport is Waterloo, where several industrial lease about 200 square metres also optimal, thanks to the close complexes are clustered. The on the ground level and 150 proximity of Green Square Station post-war building was originally square metres on the first floor. just a couple blocks away. Over the last ten years, Bill and John have witnessed the rapid transformation of the neighbourhood, in particular the burgeoning pace at which new, tall residential blocks have replaced warehouses and other low-rise buildings. This change means that there are many more residents in the area, and more traffic and commercial activities — all positively regarded developments. They see aMBUSH as offering added value to local residents, who can walk out of their units and enjoy the artistic program that they curate. However, the drawback of this

51 CASE STUDIES real-estate boom is that profit- driven enterprises leave little space for creative industries, let alone for emerging arts which are never fully profitable. As a result of rent increases, aMBUSH itself may have to leave the neighbourhood in the near future.

Pressure Points When Bill and John moved into the warehouse on James Street, they were afforded a very cheap rent because Waterloo was still rather inexpensive, and because the building was owned by a friend who supported their ideas. Since then, the whole building has been sold, and, despite the good relationship with the current landlord, aMBUSH faces two great challenges. The first is not being able to afford the lease anymore. For many years, aMBUSH paid a below- market-rate rent, until the new owner started applying consumer- price-index (CPI) increases and, eventually, imposed a 15% increase for 2017 and 39% for 2018. After receiving advice, Bill and John realised that they did not have grounds to challenge the rent increases. This rise will put the financial sustainability of aMBUSH at risk, hence they are considering the option of relocating or changing their business model to accommodate the cost hike. However, because their mission is to support young, emerging artists with a free platform, they do not want to transform the core model of the gallery, which does not charge any rent or commission fee to their artists. This decision limits the viable options to maintain aMBUSH as it is, and may entail the near future, which will entail aMBUSH’s founders are eager to a reduction in its scope and the a forced relocation. As Bill and tackle. number of events, exhibitions and John’s ambition is still to scale-up programs. aMBUSH into a cultural centre In addition to the rent increase, for street art, the uncertainty recent contracts have all had a that comes with not knowing the demolition clause, meaning that, future affordability and availability even if aMBUSH stays and adapts of the current space is something to the new cost structure, the of hindrance to greater plans, block may still be redeveloped in but it is also a challenge that

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for three and a half years. Prior to artists in terms of the use of the THE NEST CREATIVE their arrival, the space was leased space having changing patterns, SPACE by a furniture retail store, and as occupants ‘hibernated’ at home before that it was a mechanics/ in the winter months or travelled metal-work space. The space overseas. The Nest offers month- https://www.thenestcreativespace. was a blank canvas when The com/ to-month leases so that people Nest arrived, with it taking two can opt out and don’t feel locked months of full-time work to clean in. It also has a number of longer- Venue Address and paint the space. Sourcing the term residents. People are furniture for the space stemmed invested in the space and find it 298 Botany Road, Alexandria, from making do with what was comfortable and endearing, often NSW 2015 given or could be found for free. inviting other artists through The ground floor space is mobile word-of-mouth, via businesses and fluid, with modular aspects and other connections. A policy General Facts (being able to move and shift supports Indigenous artists, The Nest is a creative warehouse working spaces to create smaller as well as any environmental space run by artists for artists or larger areas), while upstairs the initiatives which that benefit located in a two-level building on offices are partitioned. The Nest is communities, for free. Botany Road, Alexandria. One currently occupied by an eclectic month leases are available for range of artists and businesses The space has a home-away­ this 24-hour accessible space, including a ceramicist, florist, from-home feel. Artists feel that with artists and occupants able to illustrator, graphic designer, it has a comfortable atmosphere, choose from a variety of options, painter, jeweller, designer, set- where they can also be inspired. A ranging from a hot desk to a designer, documentary crew, and communal BBQ every few months larger area. We spoke to Melissa a french travel agent. enables people both to socialise and air any issues. Feedback Gilbert, co-founder of The Nest. The ground floor of the venue forms are also available so that is an open space with a ‘no artists can share privately what walls’ policy, which facilitates The Venue is working and what might need collaboration and the cross- improvement. The Nest Creative have been pollination of ideas. Melissa operating in this two-level space described the ‘ebb and flow’ of

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The Neighbourhood Located on a busy road, The Nest could easily be missed as it is almost camouflaged among other warehouses and businesses. It does not have a prominent facade and is almost unnoticeable from the street, until visitors step into the doorway, from which an of the main pressure points for such an undertaking has involved, array of creative activities inside The Nest is the precarity of its alongside all that has been learnt is visible. The Nest chose this six-month lease. With the building along the way. space as its founders knew that being on a demolition list there the area was developing quickly According to Melissa, The Nest is a genuine insecurity in not and was close to public transport. is viewed as a sanctuary for knowing if there will be another A key advantage is easy access artists to grow, where they can six months offered. Melissa to Green Square Station, just a develop and expand their practice views a five-year lease as ideal to five-minute walk away. Many of - sometimes even leaving and be able to support longer-term the artists occupying the 24-hour setting up their own co-working planning. While not interfering space travel from Marrickville and spaces. Such nests for nurturing with the work taking place, the Erskineville in the inner west, and creativity and knowledge-sharing tin roof does make it difficult Bondi in the east. are rare, and there is a need to to regulate the temperature protect these pockets of artistic in winter and summer, support and inspiration. There demonstrating how organisations Pressure Points is much to learn from such must often simply adapt to what community-based co-working Short-term leases, tin roofs, is on offer. spaces: not only what they do, developer-led planning and A more general pressure on the and how and why they do it, but emotional investment indicate arts and cultural community in the also what needs to be done to some of the pressures involved neighbourhood is the increasing protect their cultural and creative in setting up and maintaining a pattern of old buildings being habitat. community-based creative co- bought to make apartments. With working space. For instance, one artists often needing to move away to live and work, a sense of community is being lost. A final pressure point is the concern that the knowledge and community built up over time may be lost. This problem is based not simply on economics, but also on the substantial emotional investment

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STUDIOS 301 an advantage, as is a new location awareness of a number of more with more parking capacity. recently established creative The previous venue had limited enterprises and studios in the https://studios301.com/ parking, with staff often having to area, such as photographers leave to move their cars between and music producers. However, two- or four-hour restricted there is a sense that Studios Venue Address parking areas. 301 is a little hidden behind 3 Ellis Avenue, Alexandria, NSW the anonymous warehouse The second key research criterion 2015 fronts. Once renovation has was size, in order to provide been completed, there is clear the space required for a large potential for Studios 301 to recording studio that could General Facts become a creative hub in the accommodate an orchestra. The neighbourhood. This sense of Studios 301 is one of the oldest new space is, as noted, designed community, atmosphere and music studios in the world. with the best available technology ‘buzz’ stems from the feeling Formerly EMI, it has been running and acoustics in mind. After that being around other people for just over 90 years, offering renovation, the space will house who are doing the same thing is a range of recording, mixing three studios of various sizes, as inspiring: ‘Art creates art’. and mastering services. The well as a variety of production organisation recently moved suites, possibly made available into a warehouse building in for ‘dry hire’ or varying tenancy Pressure Points Alexandria and is installing a timeframes. state-of-the-art recording facility Public transport, technological within a custom-built space. Most of the recording mixing advances and urban development At the time of interview (in and mastering services were highlight a range of pressures October 2017), Studios 301 was completed remotely while which impact on Studio still mainly a building site, with the new studio was under 301’s access, services and temporary studios at Pyrmont and construction. Mastering clients neighbourhood in both direct and Castlereagh Street in the CBD in are often local and interstate, with indirect ways. In terms of public operation until completion of the a growing Asian market. Many transport, Studios 301 is relatively renovation in February 2018. Holly clients are attracted to Studios close to the CBD, with a range Bestic, studio coordinator, was 301 because of its heritage, of transport options available: our interviewee. prestige and reputation. The Mascot Station is a 15-minute quality of acoustics and control walk, and Green Square Station desks is an additional drawcard not far away. While there are The Venue for sound engineers in based in buses all the time to the city, Sydney, other parts of Australia during rush hour these can take Studios 301 formerly occupied and in other countries. some time and be very crowded. (for 18 years) a space in Mitchell Road, Erskineville: a character- Recognising changes in music filled, wood-panelled, multi- production processes, as well as The Neighbourhood complex studio. Echoing much of maintaining its niche in the music the current development in the The networking and capacity- market, shows how Studios 301 area, the site of the former studio building of long-established is evolving. For instance, while was sold for redevelopment as an arts organisations in the area some technological advances apartment block. A key feature are viewed as important to mean that people can record that the organisation was looking supporting local musical talent, from home and might not need for in a new site was proximity and contributing to the cultural a studio, other innovations give to the CBD. While buses can be scene and community by raising an edge to Studio 301, as it can slow and over-full during rush awareness of gigs, shows, offer a quality of audio and mixing hour, a nearby railway station is talks and services. There is an which can simply not be produced

55 CASE STUDIES elsewhere. Gentrification is also how cultural and economic started a new phase for this music viewed as an issue, with more developments could co-exist production venue, and Studios apartments on Gardeners Road more effectively is viewed 301 is envisioning a future which going up, potentially leading to as a key concern: building will inspire the next generation of change in the demographic and not only revenue, but the producers of music. functional mix of the area. When cultural community as well. spaces for live performance close One suggestion is for new down, this change clearly impacts developments to include an independent creative director, on the buzz and atmosphere of a who could balance development place. needs and cultural heritage The opportunity to explore values. The move to Ellis Avenue

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STABLES STUDIOS range of cultural practitioners The venue is approximately 200 since its inception, including to 250 square metres in size, and sculptors, media artists, screen supports 8 to 12 individual studios https://www.facebook. printers, jewellers and artisan at an approximate cost of $80-90 com/Stables­ craftspeople. per week. Unusually, it includes Studios-669174363141355/ ‘ground level loading dock access’, and its condition allows The Venue for oil prints to be used - two Venue Address features lacking in Sydney’s other According to James, the venue Unit 2, 11 Collins Street, studios. James also commented was originally a stable, and prior Beaconsfield, NSW 2015 that such old industrial stock to its conversion into a creative was both ideal for creative space was used for a machine industries and increasingly hard shop and other light industrial General Facts to find. In contrast, he thought purposes. The building’s owner new commercial retail spaces, Stables Studios is an operates a neighbouring picture developed on the ground floor of interdisciplinary studio and framing factory next door and, apartment buildings, were much artistic space that has operated in while maintenance has been less suitable for most kinds of Beaconsfield since 2009. It is part minimal, he has been supportive artistic production. of a larger venue known as The of Stables Studios. In James’ Barn, which also includes shared view, the proximity of the factory housing accommodation. Our meant that the owner has been The Neighbourhood interviewee, James Nichols, took disinclined to redevelop the Surrounding Stables Studios is a over the lease from its previous space, since new residential mix of light industrial businesses tenants, having operated a similar or commercial tenants might (shopfitters, carpet suppliers) and larger space in Marrickville. James complain about noise or other newer residential apartments. recently passed on the lease amenity issues caused by the As with other areas of Sydney, himself, and this year another factory. However, he thought apartment developments are lease term was negotiated until such redevelopment would be increasingly common, thereby 2020. inevitable at some point in the reducing the availability of low- Stables Studios has hosted a future. cost industrial spaces similar to

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Development Applications (DAs), also threaten the long-term viability of venues like Stables Studios. Even though rent is comparatively cheap, the venue operator and tenants are aware of the likelihood that the owner The Barn/Stables Studios. will sell or redevelop the property. Shared housing cooperatives also provide unintended Pressure Points competition with studios for use of old industrial buildings. Finally, The venue experiences the practical but relatively minor pressures common to other issues include poor electrics and venues in our study. In James’ comparative distance from Green view, studios are heavily Square Station. dependent upon local networks of artists, and their most significant challenge involves managing the various personalities sharing the space. The cost and time of regulation compliance, including the hurdles of applying for

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Creative Space Located Elsewhere in 17 the City

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17. Matchbox Pictures 18. Claypool

18

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to meet and work during the collaborative writing phases. On occasion the company hires an external hotel conference facility for short workshops, which may also be held at a writer/producer’s house. When scriptwriters work separately, they tend to work at home, at their studio or office (if they have one) or in public places such as libraries or cafés. There are no fixed or specific requirements for a writing venue; rather, they depend on different people’s writing styles. Some need quiet space, others prefer active spaces or a combination of both. Long phone calls may be Scriptwriting MATCHBOX PICTURES needed at times, as well as silent rooms for reading and reflection. https://www.matchboxpictures. The Venue Access to printing facilities and com other services are also sometime According to Kali, there are two required. Matchbox has been types of creative space required planning to relocate to another Venue Address by television screenwriters: 1) commercial building in George collaborative short-term meeting Street in the Sydney CBD. While 1 Munn Street, Millers Point, NSW space; and 2) individual writing the new space will be able to cater 2000 (desk) space. Television script better to the needs of workshops development usually starts with a and office staff, Kali feels that the workshop, when a team of writers arrangements for their freelance General Facts is assembled to work on a story or writers will remain as before. Matchbox Pictures is one of the idea for a program for a few days major commercial TV production at a time. After the workshop, companies in Australia. Founded writers work individually on their The Neighbourhood in 2008, it is now owned by own specific segment/episode. As Matchbox’s scriptwriters NBCUniversal and has offices Collaborative workshops vary in are based in different parts of in Melbourne and Sydney. The duration, being generally around Australia, they only come to company produces a diverse 2-5 full days in length, and require Matchbox’s building for meetings range of programs, including a quiet, boardroom-style space. as required and the company TV drama, children’s programs, Depending on the length/nature will generally pay for the flight factual, entertainment, animation of the script, there will be a and accommodation for them in and feature films. Its Sydney office number of collaborative writing workshop sessions. Between Sydney. That said, as Kali pointed has 20 employees and is located workshops, writers usually work out, a decent hotel in Sydney’s in a heritage-listed warehouse in individually from home or from CBD is expensive (on average Millers Point. their offices. $180-350/night for a 3-4 star We spoke with Kali Reid, script room), as is hiring extra working As Kali pointed out, the TV development coordinator, space for freelance writers at industry is heavily dependent and Cathy Amies, production a boardroom in a hotel or co- on freelance workers. Most coordinator of the company, working space, which may cost creative workers are employed about two essential but very on a temporary contract basis, different creative processes in the come from different places in TV industry that also represent Australia and are involved in the diverse needs of creative different programs. Except for space in the industry. full-time employees like Kali, freelance script writers do not have an office at Matchbox, but there are boardrooms available in the building for creative writers

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acquired by NBCUniversal, moving into the company’s current site shared with Universal Pictures and Universal Networks. Inside the building are office space and meeting rooms, as well as a small theatre for showing inhouse TV or film productions. There are neither indoor TV studio nor post-production facilities in the building. Cathy explained that, when Matchbox films a show, there are many extra office staff and crew members, so a separate production office is needed for each project. When a production starts, it hires an external production office, which is usually $200 to $600 per day, depending of affordable workspaces that at Fox Studios or Callan Park Film on the type of venue. are suitable for creative writers, Production Services. While the because each person has their Kali lives in Redfern and finds that rent could amount to up to $5000 own needs in terms of space. the rent and living costs are rising per week to use these facilities, Creative writers are rarely able to as a result of the housing boom. it is more economical to hire afford the kinds of multiple and In her words, ‘artists can’t afford an indoor studio than purpose- flexible arrangement offered by living in Redfern anymore, unless build one. Building and operating private commercial co-working they’re in a place that they’ve a studio/production space in spaces. Public spaces like cafes been in for a really long time and Sydney is extremely expensive. or libraries are possible locations Since Matchbox usually produces they’ve managed to hold onto for them to work, albeit not really it.’ While she acknowledged that several shows a year and then being ideal writing venues. Desks spends a couple of months on creative writers do not necessarily are not always available in public need to be based in the city, she post-production, it makes sense libraries, and working from a to hire the space as needed. understands the reasons why café is not a sustainable option. people prefer to be there. She Kali noted that writers often In terms of location filming, said, ‘I suppose it’s because you also prefer to write at home, so Matchbox uses different sites have the community in the inner affordable housing is important. depending on the storyline of city, there’s inspiration from the show. Currently, Matchbox other cultural activities and other Kali feels that current artist-in­ produces most of its work in people to bounce off. That’s really residence programs that award Melbourne, with the rest of its important.’ a space for 6 or 12 months are productions spread around not always the most suitable for the country. As with script

writers, who instead may need development, Matchbox employs Pressure Points more flexible and less structured many freelance crew who work spatial arrangements, such as on each show in production The first problem is that one that, given the intermittent and post-production. This scriptwriters, like other creative and short-term temporalities creative workforce includes workers and artists, often do not of scriptwriting in the TV/film those specialising in camera, earn sufficient disposable income industry, can allow them to ‘drop lighting, grips, sound, props and to afford a house in the City of in and drop out’. costumes, etc., and is mainly Sydney, let alone rent additional based in Sydney. According to space for their writing work. This Cathy, companies in the screen means that many of them work TV production industry have generally good from home, not infrequently relationships, sharing resources from suburban or rural locations, and crew from time to time. and only go to the city during the The Venue For example, Matchbox could collaborative phases of script According to Cathy, Matchbox purchase costumes, props or development. Sydney was originally located in construction pieces from another The second problem is that, an 1880’s warehouse owned by TV project that has ended, and even when they can afford to live one of the founding partners. As crew members could work for closer to the city, there is a dearth its output grew the company was other production companies on

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Pressure points One of the problems that Matchbox faces is the rising expense of TV production in Australia, due mainly to the increasing cost of living, wages, materials, and so on. As funding from NBCUniversal or from local broadcasters alone is often not sufficient to cover the cost of production, it has to apply for grants or loans from Create NSW, Screen Australia or other funding bodies to make up the shortfall. As a result, all production companies have to follow the funding bodies’ schedules instead of their own. For example, it takes 8 weeks for Screen NSW to review a funding application and make different projects. a decision. During this period, Matchbox usually cannot start a production until the funding is The Neighbourhood secure, which creates problems in seeking to organise studios or Matchbox’s Sydney office is crews. located in Millers Point at the end of Barangaroo Reserve. As noted, There are also issues concerning NBCUniversal is relocating the the general filming environment whole company to a commercial in NSW for the screen industry. building on George Street, as Cathy feels that, in general, the current building is too small. there are a lot of restrictions Cathy likes the current location regarding filming in NSW (such because it is quiet and close to as shooting drone footage), not a park, but she also sees the to mention the often-expensive advantages of relocating to council fees for location shooting George Street—it is in the middle and the red tape involved in getting a location shooting of the city and is more accessible permit (although, as noted, this to different places. For example, may be less of a constraint in getting to Fox Studios, where parts of Western Sydney and Matchbox does a lot of production other places in the state where work, will be much easier. While location shooting is encouraged). she agrees that cheaper and In contrast, Queensland’s large larger office space would probably studios are readily available be available in Western Sydney, and the government offers a she prefers to be located in the payroll tax rebate as an incentive city because it is ‘easier to get to attract international film in and out’ and is ‘close to the companies to shoot there. To be airport’. eligible, though, a project must With regard to location shooting, spend more than $3.5 million in Cathy does not have a preference Queensland. As Cathy points out for particular sites, and site ‘the way the film and TV industry selection depends on the needs functions is very specific’, and she of each show. She added that wishes that the NSW government Western Sydney is becoming would have better understanding more attractive for location of the TV and film industry and shooting as it has less traffic, provide a more supportive larger spaces, and some of the environment for creation and local councils are very supportive production in Sydney. of location shooting crews.

62 CASE STUDIES

CLAYPOOL arrangement, when compared community rules of the space. with the more ‘amateur’ facilities The directors do not receive any offered by community art centres, compensation from the company, http://claypool.com.au or learning facilities such as the as all additional revenues go to City-of-Sydney-owned Pine Street the purchase of new equipment, Creative Arts Centre. but their in-kind work is rewarded Venue Address with free use of the space and of Today, Claypool is owned by 3 the facilities. 1605 Botany Road, Botany, NSW of the 5 original partners, who 2019 are now the company directors and take turns in managing The Venue the studio. Their aim, since the General Facts inception of Claypool, was to Claypool’s original venue was a Claypool is a private company that create a financially sustainable warehouse in the City of Sydney, runs a collective pottery studio community around a shared a space that the pottery studio in the City of Botany Bay, which studio which would offer more shared, as noted, with Square is south of the City of Sydney than just space and equipment, One (close to Sydney Park). The LGA. Established as a limited but also a networked support lease in the original location could partnership in 2013, Claypool and enrichment. To cover the only be secured for 2 years, and was initiated in response to the cost of the studio — mainly rent with a demolition clause that need for professional pottery and the utilities — Claypool’s was eventually actioned. Having artists to find studio space. The business model is based on a to move out of the warehouse, original founders believed that membership scheme. The main Claypool sought to identify there was a real shortage of revenue stream comes from the another location within the city. facilities for pottery professionals members, who pay fees to use all As it catered to the needs of coming out of university or the facilities, with the exclusion people who lived in the central other education pathways. They of the kiln. Firing fees are paid as areas of Sydney, a space that was themselves were looking for a additional charges depending on both suitable for light industrial studio after a pottery facility run use of the kiln. Non-members, uses and easily accessible with by the UNSW Union had closed. however, are also allowed to use public transport was required. In particular, community colleges the studio facilities by paying a Claypool’s founders could not and night classes at the time daily rate, undergoing induction find an adequate space within were in decline, and the reform training, and observing the the city boundaries, and had to of TAFE made pottery courses relocate to the City of Botany Bay, very expensive. Therefore, where rents were cheaper. As the after Claypool was started, in founders recall, while searching a warehouse that they shared for a venue in the city, all with another artist-run initiative warehouses that would have been (Square One), it soon gathered within their price range had a demolition clause: for this reason, traction and reached full capacity. even if affordable temporarily, the The founders believe that they cost of moving out and relocating tapped into the needs of pottery again would have put Claypool at artists who could not afford their risk of closing. own studios but wanted a more stable and professionally viable When they moved into the

63 CASE STUDIES

new space, Claypool’s directors The Neighbourhood Pressure Points believed that they had a long-term Botany, immediately south of Over its 4 years of life as a arrangement, as Botany had not the City of Sydney, is dotted community pottery studio, yet been affected by the wave with warehouses that used to of urban renewal that was being Claypool faces the challenges be industrial or storage facilities experienced in other suburbs. of being a creative organisation connected to the port. Claypool is Not long after, however, the that does not generate enough located in one of these industrial warehouse was sold, and then disposable income to afford a buildings on the commercial bulldozed to build apartments. large space in the City of Sydney. stretch of Botany Road, which By that time, fortunately, the As the founders argue, they could links the neighbourhood to very first member of Claypool have increased the membership the City via Green Square and had received an inheritance and fees to become more profitable Redfern. decided to buy a warehouse and so stay in the City, but with the idea of giving it to the As the founders explain, moving this decision would have gone company on a long-term lease. out of the City to the first ring against the core mission of The new space was restored of suburbs, like Marrickville or Claypool, which was to provide and customised with the kind Botany, is a trend that responds a community studio both to of spatial and infrastructural to two contemporary processes: established and emerging pottery arrangement needed by a the increasing rent and the artists. collective pottery studio (in decreasing number of warehouse particular, with three-phase spaces, which are being bulldozed Moving out of the City, however, electricity for the kiln). Moving, and often transformed into was not without challenges, as the founders explain, was not apartments. Such suburbs still as the wave of redevelopment without cost, both in terms of have a large warehouse stock, has spread well beyond the members who could not afford which is often not used for boundaries of central Sydney. the move, and in monetary terms, industrial purposes anymore, In fact, the studio’s survival as the relocation was only made so it is suitable to house light was helped, as noted, by a possible by an investment of manufacturing activities such fortunate occurrence - receipt $40,000. as pottery and other crafts. of an individual inheritance. In The current venue, on 1605 Moreover, the accessibility of the particular, the close relationship Botany Road, is a bright, spacious suburb via car was an important between Claypool and the warehouse facing the main element in the decision to relocate owner of the building, who is a commercial parade in the suburb, to Botany. Other warehouses member, has allowed a longer- were not chosen because they with a shopfront that can be used term arrangement which is quite did not have convenient parking to showcase Claypool’s artefacts. unusual in the current rental facilities, an important factor The rear of the building has a market, especially as far as loading area and small car park given that some pottery products warehouse space is concerned. that directly links to the kiln room. cannot be easily transported on This setup gives Claypool a the The main space is subdivided public transport. Botany also prospect of a viable future and into several small studios that afforded a sufficient degree members can ‘personalise’ in of safety. As many Claypool the possibility of investing in accordance with their needs. The members also have other jobs, dedicated facilities. However, wheels and the glazing facilities the venue needed to be perceived small creative crafts, which are have dedicated spaces, which as sufficiently safe after office challenged by lack of suitable the directors believe is a great hours and at night, which they space and by the closure of many improvement to the previous thought was not the case in some learning institutions and related venues, as they now have a larger industrial precincts in the Green facilities, remain in a perilous capacity. Square area. position.

64 Discussion

Emerging Trends diminishing job opportunities several of the creative spaces (Morgan & Wood, 2014; Stevenson in the City of Sydney that et al., 2017). On the other hand, we examined. Not only has Outlined below is a series of gentrification and rising property the number of ‘community’ trends impacting on cultural prices are forcing artists and galleries (i.e., those run by artist creation and production cultural practitioners to move collectives) dropped significantly in Sydney, which can be outwards because of growing (our interviews indicated that distilled from the case studies: rents (both for accommodation only 9 out of 23 artist-run commercialisation of cultural and workspace), demolition initiatives started in 2003 are still production and space; of industrial buildings and the operating), but also the operators gentrification of the inner re-zoning of industrial land for are changing their curatorial city; privatisation of cultural residential development (Curran, policies and the type of artist exhibiting at their galleries. For infrastructure; casualisation 2010; Shaw, 2013). instance, Galerie pompom’s of cultural workers and In response to the widespread predecessor MOP Projects was ‘flexibilisation’ of workspace, and market failure inimical to the an artist-run, not-for-profit the diversification of creative survival of artistic and creative gallery with the objective of space. In combination, these enterprises, some cultural showcasing experimental works trends are contributing to practitioners adapt by learning to from emerging artists. However, pressures on the availability, become ‘entrepreneurial’ (Morgan with the increasing rent and suitability and affordability of & Nelligan, 2018), while others are operating cost, MOP Projects creative spaces in the City of compelled to pay more attention has had to adapt its business Sydney. These complexities help to making a living rather than to model to incorporate a more to illustrate the major contextual their passion for arts and culture: profitable revenue stream — issues and challenges relating to Galerie pompom, a commercial creative space identified in the If you can’t sell the work, if gallery that is the commercial following section. you’re not making it for a arm of MOP Projects. In the end, commercial show, then the the operator had to discontinue work will not become a reality MOP Projects because it was no Trend 1 because you can’t produce longer financially viable, while the Commercialisation of cultural something, or you can’t sustain commercial Galerie pompom has production and space yourself. (Pia van Gelder, continued to function: former operator of Lanfranchi’s An emerging trend is the and Serial Space) I discontinued [my experimental commercialisation of the modes gallery] at the end of last year of production of creative work, Molotch and Treskon (2009, p. because I decided that the time driven partly by the difficult 518) also note in their study had come... because the space environment in which artists and of New York City that galleries also became so expensive so we cultural practitioners seek to can avoid displacement from couldn’t really get experimental survive and sustain themselves. Manhattan’s SoHo if they can younger artists to pay rent On one hand, there has been enhance their capacity to anymore. (George Adams, growing evidence of artists and pay higher rent by increasing Galerie pompom) cultural practitioners failing the ‘revenue that art selling to establish themselves in can yield’. This strategy A similar situation is faced by the workforce of the ‘creative provides an explanation of aMBUSH Gallery, an art gallery economy’, due to the oversupply the commercialisation trend with a remit of not charging of creative workers and manifesting in the operation of artists any commission fee.

65 DISCUSSION

The redevelopment of Central Park in Chippendale was mentioned several times by our informants, both as an example of good urban renewal and as a cause of sustained rent increases in the area. Source: see photo credits.

The operators used to cross­ Trend 2 has been accelerated by the subsidise the Gallery via their NSW State Government’s urban Gentrification of the inner city consulting business. However, consolidation policy (pursued by facing a significant rental Like many other cities in the both major political parties), as increase, they have had to find world, Sydney is undergoing exemplified by its ‘Metropolitan alternative means to maintain the a ‘third wave of gentrification’ Strategies’ since late 1980s, which sustainability of the Gallery: characterised by a spatial has encouraged the rezoning expansion of areas under of old industrial precincts in So we found another way to gentrification (especially inner-city the inner-urban areas such as support the gallery, which is neighbourhoods and beyond), the Pyrmont-Ultimo and Green to do public art projects and involvement of large developers, Square to develop new residential festivals and then we just decline of community opposition, dwellings (Searle & Filon, 2010). channel the money back into and increasing involvement of the aMBUSH Gallery. (Bill Dimas, state in the process (Hackworth This period coincided with aMBUSH Gallery) & Smith, 2001). In the City, this rapid population increase and rapid gentrification is evident in demographic change in Sydney, aMBUSH Gallery is currently a number of inner-city suburbs including the increasing number applying for development such as Surry Hills, Chippendale, of small, young and dual-income approval for the exhibition space Redfern, Waterloo, Alexandria households (Bounds & Morris, downstairs so that it can generate and Green Square covered by our 2005). These people, especially extra income by renting out study. those employed in the business the space for corporate events services sector and the so- and functions. As creative space Gentrification is a complex and called ‘creative class’, have operators are increasingly forced diverse process (Shaw, 2008). been attracted by the growth to engage in more commercial The resurgence of Sydney’s of employment, services and initiatives, the danger is that CBD as a major financial and other activities in the CBD. They new, experimental or risky work, services centre since the 1960s, prefer to live in the city centre especially by emerging artists, is and the de-industrialisation of and its surroundings in order squeezed out, potentially leading the CBD fringe and inner city in to to be closer to work and to to a less diverse and equitable the 1970s, were the precursors enjoy an urban lifestyle (Hu, cultural scene in the City. of gentrification (Hutton, 2014; Florida, 2002), including an 2010). However, the current advanced night-time economy gentrification process in Sydney that offers both leisure and work

66 DISCUSSION opportunities (Rowe & Lynch, 2003), currently that community noted, under-capitalised artists 2012). is being squeezed out of its or creative enterprises ‘have inner-city neighbourhoods. In little room to move’. Alternative While this gentrification trend his new book The New Urban location options are limited, if largely continued throughout Crisis, Florida (2017) admitted not decreasing largely due to the the late 1990s to 2000s, since that the rise of the ‘creative class’ constraints of ‘cultural policies 2010 there has been evidence in places like New York, London and funding arrangements, of an intensification of high- and San Francisco has led to inequitable planning practices rise apartment development growing urban wealth and income and inadequate provision of throughout Sydney, particularly inequality. Property speculation affordable housing and work and in Sydney’s CBD and its inner city and surging home prices have performance spaces’ (p. 338). The (Shoory, 2016). The latest data caused mass displacement of lack of infrastructure and public show that the number of building the poor and working class transport in the outer suburbs approvals for medium- to high- (Wetherell, 2017), with largely also reduced the attractiveness rise dwellings in the City of Sydney economically marginalised artists of moving out of the City (Shaw, LGA has increased over 13 times (Hesmondhalgh & Baker, 2010; 2013). in the recent real estate boom Morgan & Wood 2014) also falling phase between 2002-2017 (Profile victim to this process. Another interviewee, who had id, 2018e). run creative spaces that had been The rapid gentrification process in forced to close, pointedly raised Our two case study areas, the inner city has had significant the issue of the conflict between Green Square and Redfern, implications regarding the creative culture and real-estate are major targets for intensive availability of creative space. oriented place making in the redevelopment and gentrification Some well-known creative City of Sydney’s own property under the prevailing urban spaces in the City, such as holdings: consolidation policy. Green Lanfranchi’s and Serial Space in Square was identified as one Chippendale, became victims of my two cents to the City of the four major industrial sites the gentrification process and Sydney is you own buildings subject to redevelopment as ceased operating because the all over the place and I think early as 1995, and the Redfern- buildings they occupied were you have to make a decision. Waterloo Authority (the sold and turned into other more Do you want to be facilitating predecessor of UrbanGrowth profitable outfits (i.e., a well- like ambitious creative practice NSW) was set up in 2005 by the appointed co-working office and or are you interested in place State Government to oversee the a yoga centre). The gentrification making to develop your real 10-year urban renewal projects process also led to the gradual estate portfolio? Because in this inner city suburb (Searle, disappearance of old warehouses they’re two absolutely different 2007). In Green Square, massive and factory buildings which were things and they don’t work in residential buildings have now commonly used by artists and the the same category; you can’t been constructed on the old creative community. As one of our play to both objectives. (Pia industrial land around Green interviewees described it: van Gelder, former operator of Square Station. In Redfern, Lanfranchi’s and Serial Space) redevelopment and gentrification The entire street of warehouses, are currently underway under to the government and perhaps the ‘Central to Eveleigh Urban investors, those spaces are Transformation Strategy’ led by disruptive to residential. So for Trend 3 UrbanGrown NSW. It includes investors, it’s beneficial to get Privatisation of cultural building private housing on those spaces cleaned up, wiped infrastructure land formerly devoted to public out. To them, it looks like dirty, housing, revitalisation of streets grotty, you know, old buildings Traditionally, support for and activation of public space full of, you know, riff-raff that cultural development has been (UrbanGrowth NSW, 2016). cause noise. (Melissa Gilbert, the province of the public The Nest Creative Space) sector, either through various In contrast to the second wave funding schemes or provision of gentrification in the 1970s in Equally problematic is the of subsidised cultural space to which the artistic and creative assumption that the artistic individual artists or organisations. community was regarded as a and creative community can A key trend that was registered key agent in ‘aestheticising’ a simply migrate out from the in this research is the growing neighbourhood and laying the centre to the margins (Gibson involvement of the private foundation for more intensive et al., 2017) after losing the sector in supporting cultural developer-led gentrification spaces to live/work/display their infrastructure development in the (Hackworth & Smith, 2001; Ley, works. As Shaw (2013, p. 338) City.

67 DISCUSSION

Philanthropy has played an exhibitions each year. production networks and flexible important role in addressing the subcontracted labour (Gibson gap left by the reduction of public A more recent approach to & Kong, 2005; Hesmondhalgh funding. For instance, the current encourage the private sector’s & Baker, 2010; Stevenson et al., $15 million redevelopment of the long-term investment in creative 2017). A recent study by Throsby State Library of NSW (including space is through voluntary and Petetskaya (2017) calculates the addition of a new gallery) was planning agreements (VPAs). A that only 56% of artists in funded by private benefactors VPA is an agreement between Australia are able to work full-time (Taylor, 2017). Other examples of the City Council and the property in the arts (i.e., in creative work recent philanthropic intervention developer on the integration of and in arts-related jobs such as in cultural infrastructure and space for community use in a art teaching). Cultural workers, development include the founding development, such as a library, they found, are prevented from of White Rabbit Gallery and James swimming pool or community engaging full-time in their creative Packer’s donation of $60 million hall. An instance of private work because it generated to art organisations after receiving sector commitment to creative insufficient income and because approval to build the Barangaroo space involves the Greenland of a shortage of work in their casino resort on the fringe of Group, the developer of Sydney’s art occupations (Throsby and Sydney CBD. Some of the case tallest residential building, the Petetskaya, 2017). study creative spaces have also Greenland Centre, currently received philanthropic support. under construction at 115 Casualisation of creative labour For example, Square One Studios Bathurst Street in the CBD. The has also become commonplace has received a donation to set up site was a former Sydney Water among creative businesses in its residency program, while 107 Board Building and this new Sydney, such as TV production Projects and Performance Space 66-storey residential tower will and digital services, which received around 30% of their incorporate 5 floors of creative are now largely dependent funding from private donors and space to be used for subsidised on freelance workers. Kali, a other support groups. artist accommodation, dance production manager of a TV studios and music rooms (City production company, described Property developers are also of Sydney, 2014a). The Planning the operation of freelance script increasingly involved in the Controls Unit of the City of Sydney writers thus: provision of creative space for manages such VPAs. interim and long-term use. For It’s the way the industry works: instance, property developer The VPN as a public-private the whole industry runs on HPG Australia has recently partnership model may offer freelancers, predominantly… partnered with the City of mutual benefits in terms of And also it’s not full time work Sydney to provide one of its easing the pressure on provision necessarily...a writer might transition sites (that has not yet of creative space by local take three weeks to write a commenced construction), a 7,000 government and helping property script and then another week sq metres warehouse space in developers to brand and market to sort of do notes and a review Alexandria, as a temporary hub their housing projects. But the and then they might wait and model can also be criticised on for the Sydney Fringe Festival to then in another two months various grounds, including of its host performance, exhibition, write another one. (Kali Reid, tendency to narrow the range screening and live music during Matchbox Pictures) the Festival (Jefferson, 2017). of artistic options and of the level of public utility and value. Digital services is another creative In terms of longer-term usage, Some have also suggested that sector predominantly based on property developer Lendlease the model may be outmoded freelance workers. An interviewee has embarked on a ‘place making’ following the Global Financial from Semi-Permanent, a digital model on its Darling Harbour Crisis (Greve & Hodge, 2013), event company, said of the redevelopment project ‘Darling calling for public institutions to operation of freelance workers in Quarter’. Apart from apartments, restore their leadership role. his company: office buildings and other professional and entertainment I mean it’s certainly the way we facilities, a budget has been Trend 4 see things going with this sort allocated for public space of creative industries, there’s Casualisation of cultural workers activation, public art exhibitions more freelancers, more people and ‘flexibilisation’ of workspace and outdoor festivals. One of the working on their own and case study participants, aMBUSH that’s where Semi-Permanent Gallery, currently runs a pop-up A major characteristic of [is] in this fortunate position art gallery called ‘Open’ there, the cultural economy is the where we work with so many organising six to eight public art heavy use of decentralised different people on our events

68 DISCUSSION

over the years that we can tap forms of exploitation such as low/ continue their artistic careers, into a world of freelancers. We no pay and long working hours. is explained by these statistics probably don’t envision having (Morgan & Wood, 2014; Throsby a staff of 50 people here, Another consequence of this & Petetskaya, 2017; Stevenson et working on bits and pieces trend is the increasing difficulty al., 2017). and we bring in freelancers for of living and working in the certain roles. (Luke Wood, Semi- expensive urban spaces that The casualisation of creative Permanent) predominate in cities like Sydney workers has implications for that, ironically, celebrate their creative space needs. While most Casualisation, impermanence cultural and creative sector. interviewees acknowledged and precarity have long been The City of Sydney (2018c) has a need for physical space to characteristic of cultural and compared mean weekly artist work, either independently creative work. However, even in income (based on a series of or cooperatively, they do not those areas that have previously economic studies of professional necessarily need workspace provided relative security, it artists in Australia conducted all the time. This intermittent is apparent that contract and by researchers from Macquarie employment/work pattern, freelance arrangements are University between 1990-2017) to coupled with the growing rents for now more common, thereby median rent of a single bedroom workspace, has led to increased exacerbating the vulnerability in the City of Sydney (See Figure shared or co-working spaces in of the workforce. Research by 1). The results revealed that the City. Hesmondhalgh and Baker (2010) artists spent 60% of their weekly Sydney is experiencing a trend income on housing in 2014­ has pointed to the negative of increasing ‘shared’ and impact of casualisation on 15, among other costs such as ‘communalisation’ of workspace creative workers’ emotional life necessities, materials and (O’Neill & McGuirk, 2003). health and well-being, their study consumables for their creative This trend, which we call here revealing feelings of victimisation work. The enormous housing ‘flexibilisation’, is evidenced in and anxiety among casual stress facing artists and creative the declining work-space ratio creative workers due to their workers, and their frequent (WSR) in the City between 2007­ job insecurity, as well as various reliance on family support to 2012 (City of Sydney, 2012b), meaning that the workspace of each worker has been reduced. One of the manifestations of this ‘flexibilisation’ trend is the emergence of co-working spaces, where a large workspace is shared among artists and creative practitioners.

According to Colliers International’s (2018) Flexible Workspace Outlook Report, flexible co-working space is a growing global trend, although its take- up in Australia is still lagging behind of other countries. The report showed that there are 52 professionally managed flexible workspace centres in Sydney, with an average monthly cost of about $650 per desk. In the CBD alone, flexible co-working workspace only accounts for 2.6% of total workspace, but further growth is expected due to major new developments, such as York Butter Factory and Hub Australia in the city fringe in 2017, and the recent lease signed by Jobs NSW Figure 1. Mean weekly artist income compared to median rent (Source: City of Sydney 2018c, to open the Sydney Start-Up Hub based on longitudinal research by David Throsby between 1990-2017) in the CBD (Colliers International,

69 DISCUSSION

2018, p. 35). oriented venue, including hot­ synergies: desking offices set up by creative In addition to the above companies or those, like Grumpy It [having the co-working space] mentioned professionally- Sailor, aMBUSH Gallery and was the only way that we could operated coworking workspace Semi-Permanent, who share their justify the rent, yeah. So we had centres, in this study we have office space with other companies to make a decision to make come across two types of co- in order to reduce the pressure it bigger and better with the working space. The first is the of their rent. Like the shared rent and build a space that artist-run, community oriented studios, the operators usually other people might want to use shared artist studios, where acquire an open-plan office in a as well .. we want to create a the operators acquired a whole commercial building and rent out space where we could expand warehouse and divided it into desks (partitioned) or bench space and contract and also have a smaller studios for individual (for hot-desking) to individual whole bunch of collaborators artists to rent. Examples among creative workers or companies in there that we might be able our case studies are Duckrabbit, on a short-term basis. This type to work with. We don’t want to The Nest Creative Space, Square of commercial co-working space own their business, we want One Studios, Stables Studios and has grown in popularity among them to run their own clients Claypool. Such venues are usually freelance digital services workers and fill their own gaps, but we set up by artists in response to the or has been used as a temporary want opportunities to cross- urgent need for affordable space off-site office for TV/media collaborate… (James Boyce, for artists and creators to do production companies. Grumpy Sailor) their work, and generally operate on a not-for-profit basis or with As James, an operator of a co- This relatively new form of co- operators barely managing to working space, pointed out, working arrangement also has break even on their operating co-working space not only helps implications for its operators costs. creative companies to lower their who curate the space. In addition operating costs by sharing the to the management space The second type of co-working rent and utility expenses, but also and rent, one interviewee who space is the more commercially generates essential networks and has substantial experience of

A multi-media art exhibition in the downstairs of aMBUSH Gallery. Source: see photo credits.

70 DISCUSSION managing a co-working space management and entrepreneurial (like artists, collectives, ‘makers’, highlights the importance of skills, because a tenant (mostly a and musicians) in their creative managing tenants who are solo entrepreneur or independent space needs, affordability sharing the space: contractor) needs to pay for and preferences regarding their own workspace, deal with location, tenure, and building I mean you’ve got to manage short-term contracts and embed type. While the distinction is far personalities in creative spaces themselves in dense networks. from hard and fast, it highlights because it’s about a small Therefore, those lacking these quite different requirements community and [that’s] the first skills or the necessary sociability with respect to building stock, job of anyone running a space will be ill-suited the co-working equipment, access, costs, security like this is to ensure that as a environment. Casualised creative of tenure and development community it works. (James workers may also feel isolated approvals. Nichols, Stables Studios) and unsettled in a co-working space in cases where they are less For instance, the spaces at Sharing a similar view, the connected to colleagues and are technology start-ups and interviewee from the Nest firms tend to be open plan, working in an environment with a Creative Space uses a less formal with minimal equipment, a high number of transient workers method, such as a communal common table for individually (Pendrill, 2016). barbecue, as an opportunity to seated workers operating develop relationships and to laptop computers or involved in obtain feedback from her tenants. discussions with colleagues. Easy Trend 5 access to public transport (e.g. While flexible co-working space train) and to cafés (which can also has become increasingly popular, Diversification of creative space be used as wifi-enabled working and for big corporations as well as needs spaces) is preferred and, while freelance/casual worker, Colliers proximity to business partners International (2018) warned that and clients is desirable, relocation co-working space risks losing its Our case studies exhibited several would not appear to be a major ‘creative vibe’ because many large emerging differences within the inconvenience. companies are simply attracted by cultural and creative industries. the benefits of flexible contracts Notably, there is a widening In contrast, many of the collective and cost savings offered by these distinction between for-profit, studios have quite specific spaces, and have no interest in digital, office-based and service- requirements regarding transport collaborating with other tenants oriented organisations (such as (such as moving materials and (Cheung, 2018). Besides, the advertising and media production equipment) and working on practice and culture of co-working agencies, architects, film and materials and finished products, space may not suit every artist television) and not-for-profit or and had further concerns about or creative worker. For instance, profit-for-purpose, light industrial either surrounding noise or the participating in a co-working craft-based and product-oriented noise that their own activity environment requires self- organisations and practitioners generated, especially if located in a mixed-use zone. Ideally, they would prefer high ceilings, high doorway and to be located on the ground floor (no staircase) with a roller door - a specific feature important for some co-working artist studio operators or craft- based artists who need to move large artworks in and out of their studios. Protecting warehouse building stock for the use of light-industrial based artists is necessary because of intense competition from property developers and even from creative businesses attracted to a modish industrial aesthetic.

Such differences are, of course, not new: advertisers, architects, A high-rise building under construction in Green Square. Source: see photo credits. copywriters and publishers are

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examples of older office-based businesses included within our and other common definitions of the cultural and creative. The transition of these businesses towards increasingly digital modes of operation, along with the emergence of new media industries, throws into stark relief the difference between their high adaptability to spatial context and form, and the comparative spatial fixity of less ‘weightless’ cultural activities. As many of our participants have indicated, the removal, modification or upgrading of industrial building stock has a differential and disproportionate impact on arts and cultural activities dependent on specialist types of space.

Most of the industrial stock surrounding Galerie pompom in Chippendale has been converted to residential units. Source: see photo credits.

72 DISCUSSION

Major Issues years (CoreLogic RP Data, 2017). include creatives and artists in this Demographia, a US-based think list as well. tank, ranked Sydney’s property prices as the second least In the City of Sydney’s Creative affordable out of 92 major cities in City Cultural Policy and Action Plan the world in 2017 (Demographia, Issue 2 (2014b), access to creative space 2018). One of the major effects Suitability of creative space and has been identified by the artist of the real estate boom has been suitability of tenure community and creative sector as a sustained increase in property Another major issue faced by one of the major challenges that rentals both for housing and many of our informants is the they have been facing: other functions. difficulty of finding ‘suitable’ The key challenges continue to The issue of affordability of creative space. The definition of be access to space: affordable creative space is compounded by suitability varies because different places for artists and creative the fact that artists usually earn a types of creative practice have workers to live, affordable modest income and cannot afford their own spatial requirements spaces to work and develop expensive rents. According to an due to specific creative processes, their art-form practice; and economic study of professional production systems, labour sustainable spaces for artists artists in Australia, in 2014-15 conditions, and consumption/ and creative teams to showcase the average gross income of usage patterns. For instance, their work—in galleries, professional artists was only there is a perception that empty theatres, cross-disciplinary, $48,400, while about 60% of shop fronts in the City can flexible spaces or in non- artists made less than $10,000 be used by artists or creative traditional environments and per year from their creative work enterprises on a temporary basis. the public domain. (City of (Throsby & Petetskaya, 2017). As However, this kind of ‘pop-up’ Sydney, 2014b, p. 57) a result, rental increases have space can only work for certain types of activity, such as small This study has confirmed the put enormous pressure on artists creative retailing. It will not be persistence of these challenges: working and living in the City. As suitable for artists or creative the need for affordable creative two of our informants put it: enterprises which involve heavy space was repeatedly emphasised Real estate prices tend to put equipment or require special by almost all the interviewees. As huge pressure on that ... and fitting out of the space, such as a one interviewee said: so I know a lot of creative sculptor, radio station or a music ...the need for affordable people have just moved out of studio, which generally prefer creative space and community, the – they’re just gone…. You a longer-term space due to the neutral non-institutional know people, they can’t afford high installation and relocation community space is as much to buy or even rent anymore, cost of equipment. The difficulty in demand as it was then. (Jess so lots have moved to the Blue of finding appropriate buildings Cook, 107 Projects) Mountains or beyond. (Huge has been mentioned by many Ramage, Duckrabbit) participants in the study. Below we summarise the key issues in relation to access Like the city itself, everyone I The City of Sydney’s Creative to creative space which have know is being forced out. So Spaces Program receives requests emerged from this study. that’s one thing: people can’t or inquiries for individual artist afford to live, especially the studios for ‘messy’ work (painting, artists, and anyone else who welding etc.), including spaces doesn’t earn enough money. that need to be light and have Issue 1 (Samuel Hodge, Clothing Store) adequate ventilation. There is also unmet demand for spaces Availability of affordable creative According to Marnie Jackson, for light- industrial activities space in the City Cultural Projects Manager at the such as welding, metalwork, Affordability of creative space City of Sydney, this affordability woodwork, prop-making, etc. The emerged as one of the major crisis requires attention to the City’s program doesn’t currently concerns of our informants. definition of ‘key workers’ in adequately provide for these Sydney has been experiencing housing affordability policy. kinds of space. There is also a property boom in the past Generally, key workers are unmet demand for theatre and two decades. The affordability defined as people such as performance space. As Marni problem has become more teachers, nurses and police, for Jackson, observes: acute since 2012, as property whom affordable housing in the values in Sydney have increased inner city should be provided. It A lot of small independent by nearly 70% in the past five would be useful, she suggests, to theatre groups are looking

73 DISCUSSION

for space to rehearse and are looking for space to perform from. Generally, we’re mostly contacted by people who are looking for space to rehearse from. It’s really difficult to find space for block bookings, somewhere they can come in and book out for three weeks, leading up to a performance. (Marnie Jackson, City of Sydney)

Another aspect of suitability is related to the terms of tenure. Appendix 3 shows that about half (8) of our informants have a lease for their creative space of 2-3 years, which is shorter than general commercial leases which usually last for 5-10 years. In some cases, artists are given Redevelopments in Green Square often involve replacing industrial buildings with new residential blocks. Source: see photo credits. very short-term leases, such as 6 months to 1 year (or even less), with no guarantee that their located in old warehouses or in their industrial purpose in the late leases can be renewed. Such short former factory buildings. While 1970s and early 80s, had become tenure causes a lot of insecurity such leases usually come with desirable destinations for artist- and impedes effective planning. discounted rentals, they create run initiatives, shared studios enormous stress due to the and other creative enterprises We were in George Street, yeah. uncertainty concerning how long due to their large unimpeded We got kicked out of there tenants can stay and the need to spaces, relatively low rents, and because that was going to get quickly relocate once time’s up. proximity to the CBD and public turned into a gym - so we were transportation links. only on a short-term lease Many informants also feel that there. Before that, we were on they are too dependent on As mentioned earlier, many Broadway at Central Park on a landlords, who have the power to of these industrial buildings very short-term lease there as impose significant rent increases, and small warehouses are they were building the Central and it is difficult (and costly) to disappearing due to gentrification. Park Shopping Centre. (Matt challenge such decisions. While some interviewees welcome Branagan, Work-Shop) the improved safety and the new audiences brought by …with artist studios like this, recent residential developments, you only get short leases. So Issue 3 there is a shared understanding what they would do is we get Disappearance of industrial that these processes are also kicked out and then if they buildings endangering — if not seriously continue, a whole new group impairing — the sustainability of of artists will come in and Industrial buildings, especially Sydney’s creative scene. Apart take our place… it’s not ideal old warehouses, are important from the growing rents driven either because it takes a good creative space for artists and by the increase of property six months to settle in and to creative enterprises in the City. values in the neighbourhood, start… and so you have to be This study showed that 15 out of many interviewees also share a careful about how much work 18 case study venues are located concern that the City is losing its you make sometimes. (Samuel in industrial buildings or in former creative community and even Hodge, Clothing Store) industrial sites such as old small its diversity, because people warehouses, closed factories and who cannot afford to live in Another problem is posed by rail yard. Industrial buildings were the neighbourhood are being leases containing development or once common in the harbour squeezed out. As two interviewees demolition clauses. In this study, area and in the southern suburbs put it: about one third of the leases of the City of Sydney (Redfern, discussed with interviewees had Waterloo, and Alexandria). Many ‘I think what’s problematic is a development clause, which is of the interviewees recalled that when some of the Indigenous quite common for creative spaces these warehouses, having lost communities and the

74 DISCUSSION

artistic communities that Others have emphasised the Yeah, I mean the value of it have long had their bases importance of local networks to is that people can – well, it’s here are threatened by that their operations. For instance, a convenient for one thing and gentrification. (Jeff Khan, City-based sculptor may share it just has an atmosphere, Performance Space) their machinery or equipment I suppose. Like I’m an artist with other local artists as a way myself – I’m a singer/songwriter Even when we first came to contribute to the creative and musician – and if you feel to Redfern, probably over cluster’s local production system, like you’re around other people this side, you know, sort of ‘it’s actually direct injection into the that are doing the same thing Darlington area, there would creative industry from the bottom it’s inspiring. Yeah, it’s a buzz, have been another three or up’ (Damien Butler, Studio Damien I suppose. (Holly Bestic, Studio four buildings that had artists Butler). Another interviewee 301) and kind of, you know, arty added that partnering with the types. [...] All those, they’re all university nearby enables his art I think we could do what we gone, they’re all gone. (Hugh company to access the university’s do here from an office in Ramage, Duckrabbit) theatre and facilities for practice Wollongong or Newcastle and rehearsals: or Byron Bay or wherever it happened to be, but certainly I We don’t have a space think there’s still a big element Issue 4 ourselves ... So as a result of of businesses like ours which is Diminishing creative clusters in that ... we tend to use spaces built on relationships and, you the City that we can [have] partnership know, nothing is like sitting with someone and having a coffee or There has been a perception through across the City... we run residency projects with whatever it is; it’s face-to-face that the creatives can easily doing that… I think because move out of the City and find some of the universities that have studio and rehearsal it’s so much of the business alternative spaces in other parts is built on authentic, genuine of metropolitan Sydney. However, spaces, and with organisations like Critical Path who have a relationships and trust, that it’s many interviewees said that they important to actually go and are unwilling to move away due to space in Rushcutters Bay. (Jeff Khan, Performance Space) see people. (Luke Wood, Semi- the presence of a strong creative Permanent) community in the City: Artists or cultural organisations You still need to have a central based in the City also play an Sydney base for two reasons: important role in serving local Issue 5 audiences and communities. because the curators are here, The need for targeted support and Liza-Mare Syron, director of the gallerists are here and funding programs you get more credibility being an Indigenous performing centrally located. (Sean Morris, arts company, talked about its The City of Sydney has in place Square One Studios) presence in Redfern: several initiatives to help address the needs for creative space in Apart from the advantage of easy We‘re a Redfern company; we the City. It runs a Creative Spaces transportation, more than one came out of the community; we Program, which includes an interviewee told us that being need to stay in the community Accommodation Grants Program, in proximity to major cultural and we need people to offer which offers a community institutions in the City, such as us space in the community.... portfolio of buildings and the ABC Radio’s headquarters Redfern is historically a meeting properties to grant recipients at or Carriageworks, bring huge place for Aboriginal people no charge or reduced rent, the benefits to them: across the country and we Oxford Street Creative Spaces can’t lose that and we need to Program, a Creative Life/Work Being in the Carriageworks make a footprint here that’s Program, offering residential precinct, we get all the curators economic, social and cultural. tenancies for artists for affordable from Carriageworks [who] (Liza-Mare Syron, Moogahlin living in the city, and the Short bring in lots of other curators, Performing Arts) Term Empty Properties (STEP) international curators, through Program, which aims to activate to the studio. So you get Informants also said that the properties which are vacant for exposure…. this experience of special vibe or ‘creative milieu’ a time due to a gap in a lease or meeting curators who normally (Camagni, 1991) in the City due to works required. The City don’t really get access directly has been constructive for their has also recently established a in this way. (Samuel Hodge, creative process and businesses. separate Cultural Venues Unit, Clothing Store) As two interviewees put it: which will manage some large,

75 DISCUSSION purpose-built cultural venues. not to apply for public funding. As Issue 6 These are multipurpose buildings two informants explained: Planning issues and building which will be tenanted by a variety controls of occupants. To date, two such I mean I’ve never been a big one cultural venues have come on for chasing funding. There is Building controls can be another line, the East Sydney Community some kinds of funding out there hurdle. As has been noted, many and Arts Centre and the Joynton but I actually have always really creative venues are located in Avenue Creative Centre in Green valued my independence and former industrial sites, such as Square. being able to just do things the old warehouses, former factories way I want to do them. (Hugh or even abandoned buildings. In spite of these efforts, some Ramage, Duckrabbit) Obtaining a development of our interviewees believe that approval (DA) to turn these these programs have, so far, been We don’t seek – grants buildings into a creative space is insufficiently extensive, and the programs are quite tedious. a very complicated and expensive support that they offer is patchy You can’t forward plan on the process, especially if it involves re­ and serendipitous. For instance, idea that you might receive a classification of a building, such as the Creative Life/Work Program grant, therefore we don’t apply from a former warehouse (class has attracted 60 applicants each for one…rather than spend 7) to an assembly building (class year, but there are only seven weeks writing a grant, applying 9b) for social gathering. Under resident spaces available. The for a grant, and then the money the Building Code of Australia STEP program is also seen by in the grants are very minimal. (BCA), the noise and safety artists as potentially unsuitable. (Bill Dimas, aMBUSH Gallery) requirements for each function As one of our informants are very different, requiring For those cultural organisations explained: considerable investigation and dependent on public funding assessment from various building Like using creativity to fertilise from the Australia Council and experts and planning consultants. or place make an area, I think Create NSW, the deterioration One informant, who is currently can be problematic in that of the funding environment has applying for a DA for his venue, operating an actual creative generated further pressure on explained the costs involved in the practice in say a shopfront is them. Affected by the recent process: sometimes for some people not funding cuts, some cultural conducive [for concentrated organisations have scaled back It’s going to cost $2,000 just work], having people stop in, their operation or even moved to get a surveyor. Then the “Oh, what are you doing there?” out of their creative venues. An application’s going to cost, I You are literally working, so informant also pointed out that don’t know, anywhere between you don’t have time. (Pia van the current State Government’s $1,200 to $2,000, so that’s Gelder, former operator of cultural infrastructure policy tends $4,000. If we need to do any Lanfranchi’s and Serial Space) to put more emphasis on high- modifications it can go to profile, large-scale, iconic cultural anywhere between $10,000 Marnie Jackson agrees that the infrastructure rather than small/ to $20,000, so that’s another sites that the Creative Spaces medium-sized cultural space. For cost now on top. (Bill Dimas, Program has on offer are not instance, the State Government aMBUSH Gallery) always ideal because they are not has injected $244 million into the specifically designed for cultural refurbishment and upgrading of According to building specialist, creative use: the Art Gallery of NSW (Nicholls Peter Conroy, ‘over the years, the & Power, 2017), but the funding [building] codes have got more Lots of the properties that we needs of smaller cultural stringent’. For instance, Jess Cook get, we just inherit and make organisations and creators have from 107 Projects has spent do… Then the commercial been overlooked. In his words: five years going through three buildings that we might get DA’s between 2011-2015. Her access to might be C grade We’re about to enter an era venue was initially permitted to office space… So we’re offering in State Government here in operate under capacity and noise something a bit cheaper than New South Wales where huge restrictions until she obtained we think our start-up creative amounts of money are going the approval for all the DA’s and community are interested in to be injected into cultural Section 96s (under EPA Act 1979) working in. (Marnie Jackson, infrastructure and I think unless to modify the existing building City of Sydney) there’s a corresponding increase consents. She believes that the into investment in the creation ‘evolving’ nature of the space Some informants are also put off of work, there’s going to be a big which leads to changes of the by the lengthy and uncertain grant problem down the track. (Jeff building design and the fact that application processes and choose Khan, Performance Space) the building itself incorporates

76 DISCUSSION multiple uses have contributed to ‘one size fits all’ solution to the that, or the provision of those the problem: problem of lack of affordable and/ spaces based on merit could or suitable space. For example, be a start and how about need A lot of it was back and forth a newly built, sanitised creative as well, a combination of merit and back and forth and space with state-of-the-art and need. (Pia van Gelder, dealing with five different facilities might meet the needs former operator of Lanfranchi’s departments…it was just a of a commercial gallery or more and Serial Space) struggle because we didn’t fit high-end creative enterprises, into a box and if you don’t fit but may not be suitable for light- Alicia Talbot, a strategic cultural into a box, you have to spend industrial creative production planner, describes some of the a lot of time explaining what such as pottery or sculpture, more intricate dilemmas of you are and why you exist. (Jess which generally require a more creative space provision: Cook, 107 Projects) factory-like environment. Many informants found the spaces they I’m just currently feeding back The complexity and cost of the DA currently occupy by serendipitous on the Greater Western Sydney, process leads some creative space means. the district and the metropolis operators or artists not to submit plan – and they talk a lot about a DA at all, but to do things ‘under Similarly, there are also shared creative facilities. And I the radar’. However, avoiding a DA differences in tenure think an issue in the pragmatics may cause even more problems, requirements. While most of it is occasional one-off especially now that many creative interviewees prefer longer bookings, you know, that might spaces in the City are located in tenure to give more occupancy happen for a ballroom dancing mixed-use zones surrounded security, shorter-term leases may class or a dancer taking two by residential buildings. For work better for emerging artists paid classes, or even someone example, some chemicals used in or creative start-ups, as one who’s working for a couple of oil painting are highly flammable interviewee explained: hours at a time, juxtaposed and can potentially cause a fire against an ongoing studio or a if they are not properly handled It’s always testing grounds for space that is available to book or stored. Fire safety and noise artists and can they afford in an intense period of 5 days, restrictions are especially it and six months down the 10 days, 20 days, you know, like problematic for non-purpose track whether they can or for a rehearsal period. Those built venues, with creative spaces can’t and that creates ebb two time uses are quite hard to located in mixed-use zone and flow too. But generally think – you know, the one space required to meet even stringent we like to keep people as long actually doesn’t often allow the safety and noise standards to limit as possible because it creates mechanics of different artistic risk or nuisance to the residents. the community in here and practices. (Alicia Talbot, City of For instance, 107 Projects has it’s awesome, but also we only Parramatta) installed sound-absorbing panels give month-to-month leases so Size requirements are also highly on the building’s rooftop to people can opt out, which is a variable. As Appendix 3 shows, prevent the noise from the venue sacrifice for us as well because there are huge differences in affecting the residents at the it’s a quick response to fill terms of the size of creative space, nearby apartments. To ensure spaces…It’s really hard on us ranging from 1700 square metres the safety of the neighbourhood, to balance but it also allows to about 10 square metres. The 107 Projects is also not allowed, people to not feel stressed required size of a creative space is according to its license, to out about being locked into dependent on specific needs (e.g., sell or serve liquor without something. (Melissa Gilbert, The whether equipment is used or the showcasing the art or to host Nest Creative Space) large entertainment or nightclub number of workers required). activities. Another interviewee emphasised the need for flexibility of space Cost per square metre is also provision to match the rhythms difficult to assess. Rents are of the cultural creative and generally conditioned by a large Issue 7 productive process, as: number of factors, such as the Unsuitability of a ‘one size fit location of the venue, the nature all’ approach to creative space a lot of people, you know, of the building (newly built or old/ planning we have to have a dynamic vacant building, facilities provided schedule, so people want things etc.), the terms and conditions Given the diversity of cultural and at different times…. How about of the lease (e.g., whether creative practice, planning for we just do what we can and a development/demolition creative spaces is an inherently overseeing the curation of those clause is included, length of problematic process. There is no spaces, if you want to call it the tenure), what tenants can

77 DISCUSSION afford (e.g., commercial creative (see also Stevenson et al., 2017). because they can’t afford it, businesses versus non-profit they have grown up in the area, art-run initiatives), and even the First, affordable space is not they understand the areas and relationship between the landlord always available in other parts they’re moving in and around and the tenant. That said, one of Sydney. One interviewee had the region. (Alicia Talbot, City of of informant who has five years considered renting a property Parramatta) experience of operating a co- in Hurlstone Park (a suburb working artist studio said that in the inner west) for his co- Jeff Khan from Performance Space cost seems to be the biggest working artist studio, but ‘it was added that moving to Western concern for artists, and that they more expensive than [inner-city] Sydney would not only involve are willing to compromise on the Alexandria’ (Sean Morris, Square physically bringing its productions quality of the creative space as a One Studios). to a new location, but also would consequence. require new connections to make Alicia Talbot, Senior Strategic sense of the new context: Typically artists or creators Project Leader in the City of are always going to go for the Parramatta, also addressed Working in Western Sydney biggest possible space that they the creative space shortage for us needs to be about can afford and it’s always some Parramatta CBD in The West: connecting with a particular sort of unrenovated industrial community where we feel that space and so there’s always They’re building all these new we have something to offer some sort of problem like this premiums. The sort of spaces or working with a particular and/or negligent landlord who that have been taken off line, like-minded organisation, or doesn’t really care about or such as the Town Hall or the working with artists who are maybe doesn’t know it and, community rooms at the based there or artists who are you know, it just kind of fell by back of it haven’t necessarily working there. So there has to the wayside so it’s cheap and been replaced in the CBD… be a reason and there has to be where artists can afford. (James [Parramatta] city actually a sort of rationale for us as an Nichols, Stables Studios) doesn’t have the spaces to inner-city organisation, not just rent either on a sliding scale parachuting the work that we Another informant, who has four of commercial or not. (Alicia do in the city to Western Sydney years experience of managing a Talbot, City of Parramatta) but doing work that’s really co-working artist’s studio, gives meaningful in that context. (Jeff an indicative price that artists can Besides, the demand for cultural Khan, Performance Space) generally afford: space from artistic and cultural communities in Metropolitan In short, inner-Sydney artists and The thing with artists is there’s a Sydney is already intense. creators cannot easily relocate threshold where they won’t pay According to Talbot, applications to the outer metropolitan region, and as soon as you cross the for the Parramatta artist studios especially Western Sydney. Not $10 per square metre per week have risen by over 400% in recent only is suitable space in Western threshold, i.e. 10 square metres, times. These applications mainly Sydney not as readily available 100 bucks a week it stops; come from a distinctive group as is often assumed, in Western people don’t pay. It doesn’t of artists who have grown up in Sydney itself (and other parts of matter where the location is Western Sydney and have close metropolitan Sydney) demand or anything, just don’t do that. ties with the local community for such space is rising from (Sean Morris, Square One (Stevenson et al., 2017). These local artists and creators who Studios) artists also require the support tend to operate in quite different from their local councils for networks and cultural ecologies creative space: from those of their inner-city counterparts. Issue 8 There is a growing sector of Limited space availability in outer artists who are born to first- or metropolitan Sydney second-generation migrants to Australia, forcibly or not, who There is a common assumption speak multiple languages, who that the lack of affordable and have a knowledge of multiple suitable creative space in inner cultural practices and they Sydney can, to some degree, be draw on that knowledge of mitigated by the compensatory multiple cultural practices, both availability of such spaces in traditional to contemporary the broader metropolitan area, practice… they’re not moving such as Western Sydney. This is from the Harbour City out something of a misconception

78 Considerations and Conclusions

There is a clear need for a (Jeffcutt, 2004), which is a spatial, issues raised earlier in the report more balanced and sustainable regulatory, temporal, and cultural (see Appendix 4). approach to planning cultural environment within which VISIBILITY & CITY-WIDE infrastructure in the City of the arts, cultural and creative COLLECTIVES: Promote better use Sydney. A diverse and multi- industries flourish. A constellation and visibility of existing space in layered strategy is required which of intersections, processes and City of Sydney, as well as explore takes into account socio-cultural, activities highlights the need the potential of more expansive environmental and economic for cultural planners and policy initiatives offering creative space factors relating both to the makers to engage more closely across the Sydney metropolitan present and future. A useful way with the complexities of these region. of conceptualising immediate ‘ecosystems’ in order to provide, demands, as well as longer-term or facilitate access to, inner-city A key issue identified was the considerations, is a ‘place-keeping’ creative space in ways that will availability of affordable creative approach (Dempsey & Burton, contribute to the sustainability of space in the City of Sydney being 2012), which is defined as: the cultural enterprise, the local impacted on by encroachments of long term management neighbourhood and the broader commercialisation, privatisation which ensures that the social, city. Such a task for governments and gentrification. The need for environmental and economic involves examining city by-laws, visibility is based on enhancing quality and benefits the place zoning and local regulations awareness that there are some brings can be enjoyed by future to ensure that the regulatory available spaces, and that more generations. Place-keeping environment fosters a broad effective promotion of these relates to what happens after range of creative activities and opportunities is required. While high-quality places have been provides effective opportunities it is clear that promotion of created. It means maintaining for the effective use of urban available creative space does and enhancing the qualities space (both new and existing). take place, some participants still and benefits of places through indicated the need for greater long-term management (p. 13). The following recommendations awareness of space availability. arise from the specific concern In relation to this matter, the While originally applied to the that creative spaces are visibility of co-working initiatives study of public and open spaces, diminishing in the City of Sydney, could be enhanced to highlight we propose that the term has with multiple repercussions for potential opportunities for strong resonance with our artists, organisations and creative sharing light industrial spaces. findings - and, therefore, propose clusters. Our recommendations This approach would highlight the a ‘place-keeping approach to point to particular areas requiring multiple benefits of co-location urban cultural planning’. This attention (visibility, volume, (knowledge sharing, financial concept foregrounds immediate processes), as well as potential savings, etc.), plus offer advice needs, as well as longer-term actions (inversion, pooling, about setting up such initiatives. considerations, which are protection, collaboration and Access to existing venues in the necessary to ameliorate the cooperation), which would benefit many educational institutions problems and accommodate the diverse constituencies. As outlined within the City of Sydney was also emerging trends identified in this below, these recommendations raised as an option. Identifying report. illustrate some of the possible the enablers of, and constraints An increasing number of dynamics involved in adopting a on, ‘leveraging’ these spaces could municipalities aims to establish ‘place-keeping approach to urban also contribute to better use and what has been termed an cultural planning’, and are aligned visibility of existing space. In a ‘urban creative ecosystem’ with the emerging trends and key study of a partnership program

79 CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS involving small and large cultural the usage of buildings during way to do this is to map the organisations, Ostrower (2004, p. transition periods (when venues industrial buildings still available 13) noted that ‘if the challenges are not being fully utilised). in the City of Sydney, which could are squarely addressed, such Encouraging property developers then be earmarked for purchase partnerships can be enormously to engage with the Voluntary or lease (Gibson et al., 2017). worthwhile’. Furthermore, Planning Agreement would help Furthermore, this strategy aligns city-wide collectives could be to contribute to expanding the strongly with the ‘place-keeping explored regarding the City of cultural and creative amenities, approach to urban cultural Sydney and other local councils. services and infrastructure for planning’ introduced earlier: Examples of such initiatives in community use across the City of that is, privileging heritage and the UK include Acme (2018), Sydney. Furthermore, a significant public space needs by keeping an artist’s housing association, barrier to expanding volume is such buildings accessible to which ‘provides affordable non- that existing policy levers cannot enable cultural communities residential studio space for deliver the required diversity of to flourish. The City of Sydney fine artists who are unable to space. This obstacle means that would also benefit from further afford to rent workspace on the it is necessary to advocate for property investment: expanding open market’. They currently alternative planning controls so and diversifying its property manage ‘over 582 individual non­ as to enable such larger scale portfolio and connections. There residential studio units across reform to take place. The UK has is a clear need for more space 16 sites, 15 in Greater London examples of more progressive suitable for cultural and creative and one in Cornwall’. Another levers: for instance, Section 106 enterprise, ranging from large example is SPACE (2018b, p. 3), secures ‘planning obligations, industrial buildings to medium an initiative which ‘runs 18 artist developer contributions, planning and small spaces. Looking abroad studio buildings across seven contributions or planning can also provide inspiration for boroughs’, manages ‘240,000 sq ft agreements’ (TCPA, 2013, p. 27); action. For instance, some cities of creative workspace’ and ‘hosts and the Community Infrastructure in the United States are making over 700 artists and creative Levy is ‘a tool for local authorities strong statements by embedding micro-businesses in affordable in England and Wales to deliver within them affordable housing workspace’. infrastructure to support the infrastructure and spaces for development of the area’ (GOV. artists. For instance, dedicated UK, 2018). Precedents in Australia affordable housing and VOLUME & POLICY LEVERS: include the revision of Victorian workspaces for artists in New York Increase supply of diverse creative planning controls, where supported by the city government; space and advocate for alternative rezoning requires developers of philanthropic grant-funded live- policies. new buildings to ‘devote part of work spaces in Nashville; as well their first four floors to culture’ as developer-led artist-lofts in The lack of suitable creative Minneapolis (Stephens, 2015). City space and tenure was recognised (Cuthbertson, 2018). There is an opportunity to leverage of Sydney can also look to San as another important issue. Francisco for inspiration, where Increasing the volume or amount the emergence and interest in such planning reforms so as to ‘18% of all new housing stock of diverse creative space is in SF is meant to be set aside proposed as a way to address advocate for similar changes in NSW, thereby increasing the as affordable housing, which this problem. Participants is important considering the clearly indicated that, even with volume of much-needed creative space. median rent for a one-bed in San knowledge of available creative Francisco is currently the highest spaces, some were not suitable in the country at US$3,370/month’ for a variety of reasons (such as INVERSION & INVESTMENT: Map (Mak, 2017). Notably, these lease, size, location, etc.). The and save remaining industrial examples show how multiple need for greater spatial and buildings for cultural investment, sectors (government, not-for­ temporal variety is, therefore, as well as activate more general profit, and private) can all lead central to this recommendation space suitable for creative the way in supporting inversion (e.g., a broader range of spaces enterprise and affordable housing. and investment for affordable and scale, from small to medium space and housing for artists. to large; plus a range of short-, The disappearance of Sydney has an opportunity to medium- and long-term leases). industrial buildings is a key learn from these initiatives and Volume could also be increased issue which stems from the to lead the way in transforming by the City of Sydney expanding de-industrialisation and the opportunities available for its residency and creative space gentrification of the inner city. creative spaces and initiatives. programs, utilising vacant The recommendation of inversion buildings and empty retail space means reversing the decrease in Paddington, and exploring of such available spaces. One

80 CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS

of the diverse needs of tenants, as well as adapting or inventing processes to help support these requirements.

CULTURAL SECTOR PROTECTION & COLLABORATION SUPPORTED BY MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNMENT INVESTMENT: The need for all levels of government (national, state and local) to increase investment in the sector in order to obtain more suitable spaces, foster small-medium scale Hub Sydney on William Street, Darlinghurst. Source: see photo credits. initiatives, as well as to embed creative brokers who are pivotal in organisations and artists moving enhancing ongoing collaboration. elsewhere). The value of pooling, POOLING: Support knowledge- then, is to maintain and enhance The limitation of a ‘one size fits sharing among creative clusters existing creative clusters across all’ approach to creative space to generate collective resources, the City of Sydney. planning, and the cultural sector workspace and advocacy. more generally, was raised as Diminishing of creative clusters a major issue. As the sector was identified as an issue that PROCESSES: Innovative planning, rapidly diversifies, alongside relates to the pressures from administrative and communicative the casualisation of cultural commercialisation, privatisation procedures to overcome barriers. workers there is an imbalance in and gentrification. Furthermore, terms of how much artists and the flexibilisation of creative Restrictions imposed by cultural organisations are able workspace was identified as a planning issues and building to contribute to and to voice trend, associated not only with controls was another crucial concerns about urban planning reducing costs due to intermittent issue. The purpose of focusing initiatives. The scarcity of targeted employment, but also with its attention on processes is to programs and investment in deeply valued capacity to act as refine planning, administrative space indicates that there is a source of rich networking and and communication procedures a clear lag in the quantity and learning opportunities. Pooling is a which limit or deter the take- diversity of offerings across process of sharing knowledge and up and use of creative space. the cultural sector. Multi-level infrastructure within a particular Reducing unnecessary red tape government investment and community of practice. Brokering (which, obviously, can cause time action is, therefore, required to pooling opportunities (such as delays) and initiating a more address the lack of support felt by meetings and networking events) flexible approach on building many participants. For instance, may have multiple benefits: in the regulations (such as with regard a longer-term view of program short term, sharing resources, to the low-risk category - Design and funding offerings is needed spaces and skills; and, in the Collaborative, 2015) are among to address sectoral sustainability longer term, collective ideas and the steps that could be taken and support of emerging artists action for advocating change. to expedite creative initiatives. and organisations. The act of For instance, many research In addition, being able to have protection should be viewed as participants indicated the value a single point of contact in local a longitudinal, strengths-based of creative clusters and the government (to answer queries strategy aiming to ensure that cooperative atmosphere that and to develop connections with there is sufficient ‘corporate they foster. That is, a sense of the creative community) was memory’ to allow venues and pride and the energy associated viewed as valuable by research infrastructure to safeguard the with creative clusters was often participants. Furthermore, a more capability of emerging artists what drew them to a particular proactive approach to processes and smaller-scale organisations area. However, there was also a is required, for example, by to test, experiment and concern that these clusters were introducing more flexible lease explore creative possibilities. diminishing for two main reasons: options (as noted with regard Furthermore, another way the insecurities associated with to volume) to reflect better to approach the design and a lack of suitable creative space, the diverse modes of cultural delivery of future programs and the increasing casualisation production. Focusing on processes and funding opportunities is to of cultural workers (leading to requires becoming more aware develop these initiatives with

81 CONSIDERATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS representatives from the cultural and creative community. This approach would ensure that obstacles or oversights would be addressed prior to any roll-out of programs and initiatives. It means enhancing more diverse collaboration between different City constituencies so as to combat a universalistic or uniform approach. We suggest that there exists a significant opportunity for the City of Sydney to identify and train creative brokers ­ Parramatta often features as a potential alternative destination for the City of Sydney’s these are facilitators who can creative workforce, but Greater Western Sydney experiences a similarly intense demand for communicate and actualise space from local artists. Source: see photo credits. venue and infrastructural needs and difficult to obtain almost and aspirations on behalf everywhere, or assessments of of artists, organisations and In conclusion, we suggest that a the advantages of centralisation creative clusters. In one version ‘place-keeping approach to urban (for example, the quick, easy of this role, the creative broker cultural planning’ provides a movement of curators or visitors liaised with artists, Council, and useful framework for recognising across clustered exhibition businesses to organise short- the immediate demands and term pop-up spaces (Empty venues). The recommendation longer-term responsibilities Spaces, n.d.). The contacts, of cooperation points to a clear which are necessary to support knowledge and remit of such a opportunity for the City of Sydney artists, cultural practitioners, role could help translate cultural to converse with the relevant organisations and culture across issues and concerns for a broad representatives of other Council the City of Sydney and the whole audience of urban decision- areas across metropolitan metropolis. Because of the makers: businesses, planners, Sydney. This dialogue would raise complexity of emerging trends policymakers and developers. awareness concerning contacts, and issues, the recommendations Rather than being developer-led, sites and opportunities across above should not be read as a this role could contribute to a multiple spaces, and highlight linear list of isolated solutions. Instead, they should be viewed as broader, socio-cultural approach. synergies and possibilities for a repertoire or toolkit on which Identifying and training creative cross-fertilisation and collective the City of Sydney can draw in the brokers could, therefore, advance action. Such exchanges between the process of collaboration and difficult task of prioritising multi- Councils could richly inform urban layered attention and actions to facilitate much more diverse and cultural planning: recognising that safeguard and nurture cultural flexible planning processes based similar trends and issues apply creation and production in the on the needs of the many as in nearby and surrounding areas city. opposed to the few. means that collective approaches might be identified and adopted to mutual advantage. COOPERATION: Foster a metropolitan Sydney perspective and cultural planning approach. The prospects, difficulties and disadvantages of relocating to other parts of metropolitan Sydney were highlighted by many artists and cultural organisations. With available spaces reducing, rents rising, and creative clusters diminishing in the City of Sydney, the idea of moving outside the area tended to be viewed as ‘last resort’. This perspective reflected stereotypes about particular regions, the understanding that spaces were becoming expensive

82 References

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86 Appendices

Appendix 1 - List of Interviewees

CASE STUDY INTERVIEWS Name of Date of Place of Space categories Organisation name interviewee interview interview 1 Art gallery & studios Duckrabbit Huge Ramage 11-Aug Redfern 2 Multi-purpose venue 107 Projects Jess Cook 18-Aug Redfern 3 Artist studio (visual artist) Artist at Carriagework Samuel Hodge 25-Aug Redfern Clothing Store 4 Live events & digital Semi-Permanent Luke Woods 31-Aug Redfern production 5 Development space Work-Shop Sydney Matt Branagan 31-Aug Redfern 6 Workshop for sculptor & Studio Damien Butler Damien Butler 1-Sep Redfern installation artist 7 TV production (creative Matchbox Pictures (script Kali Reid 2-Sep Redfern writing) development) 8 Radio production FBi Radio Clare Holland 4-Sep Redfern 9 Multi-purpose venue Performance Space Jeff Khan 7-Sep Redfern (resident company at Carriageworks) 10 Art gallery & studio Galerie pompom George Adams 21-Sep Redfern 11 Multi-purpose venue Moogahlin Performing Liza-Mare Syron; 22-Sep Redfern Arts (resident company at Lily Shearer; Carriageworks) Ali Murphy- Oates 12 Multi-purpose artist studio Square One Studios Sean Morris 29-Sep Green Square 13 TV production Matchbox Pictures (TV Cathy Amies 3-Oct Millers Point production) 14 Digital production & co- Grumpy Sailor James Boyce 5-Oct Redfern working space 15 Multi-purpose artist studio The Nest Creative Space Melissa Gilbert 16-Oct Green & office space Square 16 Makerspace Claypool Brett Stone; 16-Oct Botany Sally Cooper; Cherie Peyton

87 APPENDICES

CASE STUDY INTERVIEWS Name of Date of Place of Space categories Organisation name interviewee interview interview 17 Art gallery & venue for hire aMBUSH Gallery Bill Dimas 19-Oct Green Square 18 Music rehearsal & Studios 301 Holly Bestic 20-Oct Green production Square 19 Multi-purpose artist studio Stables Studios James Nichols 24-Oct Skype and residences

*One interview with an architectural firm was not reported as the participant did not wish any data from it to be published.

STAKEHOLDER INTERVIEWS Name of Date of Place of Space categories Organisation name interviewee interview interview 20 Creative space program City of Sydney Lauren 13-Sep Sydney CBD organisers Simpson; Marnie Jackson; Jemma Watson 21 Parramatta creative space City of Parramatta Alicia Talbot 14-Nov Parramatta & cultural policy 22 Discontinued creative Lanfranchi’s/Serial Space Pia van Gelder 22-Nov Sydney CBD space 23 Building specialist City of Sydney Peter Conroy 27-Nov Sydney CBD 24 Urban planner Design Collaborative James Lidis 7-Dec Sydney CBD

88 APPENDICES

Appendix 2 - Outline 11. How long is your lease? Participant Information Sheet, this interview is part of a Western 12. Does it have a renewable Sydney University project called of Interview Questions option? Planning Cultural Creation 13. Does it have a development and Production in Sydney: A Case study interview guide clause? Venue and Infrastructure Needs 14. Are you able to sublet space Analysis. The interview will be to other tenants? audio-recorded and used to develop This interview guide was used a venue-specific case study about for interviews with people 15. How much is charged for [insert name]. The purpose is to who operate/manage cultural renting this space/different understand why the venue and venues in our case study spaces (per week/per hour)? location was chosen, the advantages location (i.e., Redfern and Green 16. Does your lease have and disadvantages of the interior Square Village areas). unusual leasing conditions? space and venue surroundings, as well as future plans and ideas. 17. If yes, could you briefly Please let us know if you need CHECKLIST OF KEY FACTS describe these conditions? to stop or pause the interview at anytime, and feel free to skip any question which you do not wish to INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (60 Physical nature of venue answer. We will start recording now. minutes) 1. Name of owner/tenant The interview has three sections: organisation 1) Can you please briefly Section 1: spend 10 minutes 2. When moved to the location introduce yourself and describe walking around the venue to your role in relation to this discuss the interior venue spaces 3. Total floor space of the venue? venue (sq metres) (e.g., how it’s used, by whom, features, most utilised areas, • What does your role entail? 4. Capacity (no. of people) underutilised areas etc) How long have you been in the role? 5. Special features (e.g, ceiling Section 2: 35-40 minutes sitting height) down 6. No. of people who work in Section 3: 10 minutes walking PART 1: Interior walking interview this building (full time/part around the block of the venue to (10 minutes) time) discuss the suburb (e.g., location, History of building proximity to public transport, ambience, etc.) As we walk through the interior 7. How old is the building? of the building and you show us

8. Do you know who was here around, could you please tell us before? Interviewee will be given a a few details about? participant information sheet and • What are the different types of Tenure conditions consent form to sign. space available in the venue? 9. Do you own or rent the (e.g. studio, gallery, shared building? facilities, performance space) INTRODUCTION: Thank you for 10. How much is the rent per taking time to be part of this • How it’s being used – and week/month? interview. As outlined in the by whom (e.g., who are the

89 APPENDICES

current users) • Financial model of the venue operation (profit, non-profit, • Interesting features; 5) What are the main social enterprise) internal organisation/fit-out; advantages or problems faced availability of open space • Income stream/state of by your venue? funding • Is there sufficient space • What are the main advantages for the venue to operate • How do you manage of this venue (please list no productively? the operating cost (rent/ more than 3)? overheads) of the venue? • Most utilised/under-utilised • What are its main areas • Do you receive subsidies disadvantages? from government or private • What are the main problems • Could you describe the donation? How much? interior structure of the faced by your venue? (e.g., venue (whether the space • How are issues of multi- increased/decreased demand, is partitioned or open tenancy (lease payment, development proposals, noise plan, whether it includes utilities and rates, complaints, safety, increasing soundproofing, specific maintenance, shared-use operating cost/rents) equipment, unusual materials, facilities) negotiated and furnishings and decor etc)? managed among tenants? 6) Can you tell us about any • Please describe any changes to the venue and constraints or limitations that 4) Who is using this venue, what neighbourhood over recent the available space imposes is the range of their activities, years? on the venue’s operations. and where are they mainly travelling from (including • Venue (e.g., usage of space,

locals)? staffing (increase/decrease/ PART 2: Seated interview (35-40 • People: turnover), renovations) minutes) - Who are the major • How has the lease changed users of your space? over time? (rent, renew options) 2) Could you describe how and To which cultural why this venue and location sector do they belong? • Neighbourhood (e.g., were chosen? (e.g., music, film, development plans, artists design, architecture, moving out of the city) • Can you tell us why you chose visual art) this location/venue? - Please tell us • How easy or difficult was it to something about 7) What plans and ideas do find this venue? your customers you have for the future of this venue? • What were your specific and suppliers (if requirements? (e.g., high applicable) • What are the current barriers/ ceilings, sound insulation) - What has drawn restrictions for meeting your major users’ needs for • Did you have to modify the them to use this creative space? building to make it suitable specific venue? for your requirements or to (e.g., inexpensive, • Could the venue be better conform with council building good lighting, easy situated with respect to regulations? (wheelchair transport, café next your users (if applicable: access, fire exit, noise, car door, etc.) customers, staff and park etc) - What is the suppliers)? If so, please briefly geographical range describe how. • Have you considered of where they travel alternative location(s)? Where? • Please tell us something about from? Why you didn’t go to that your future plans, and how location? • Activities: they might impact on your requirements for space. - What are the concrete activities taking • If the current venue is less 3) Can you explain the place in your venue than adequate for the operation of this venue? (e.g., rehearsals, business’s or operation’s • The logic behind your commercial/non­ plans, please tell us how operation (e.g., why did you commercial creative things would need to be choose to have a studio here?) works)? improved (e.g., extra space,

90 APPENDICES

renovation, redevelopment/ 9) With respect to the local relocation). neighbourhood, how well is the venue situated? • If not in your venue, where in the greater metropolitan (e.g., prominent main street Sydney area do you think the versus side street) current users of your venue prefer to go? Why? 10) Can you describe some • With respect to Sydney of the impacts of your overall, how well situated is venue on the surrounding the venue (e.g., close to or far neighbourhood? away from related cultural venues, precincts, audiences)? (e.g., entrance arrangements, vehicle access, provision of car • What are your thoughts about park, noise management, safety/ the relationship between fire hazard, cleanliness/sanitary your venue and other facilities/alcohol use) cultural venues in the City? (i.e., in terms of clustering or proximity to the CBD) 11) How important is the • What are your thoughts about neighbourhood in terms of the relationship between proximity to other venues, your venue and other cultural place, cafes, parks, amenities venues in other parts of etc? Sydney/NSW (e.g., in Western (e.g., how valuable is the Sydney)? neighbourhood atmosphere/buzz, local community, residents) PART 3: Exterior walking interview (10 minutes)

CONCLUSION: That was the As we walk around the exterior final section of our interview. We of the building and nearby appreciate your time and thoughts. areas: We will now formally close the interview and stop recording.

8) Could you please tell us a few details about access, street interaction and transport regarding the venue? • How many door entrances does the venue have (both public and private)? • Does the venue have vehicle access (for service deliveries etc.)? • How accessible is the venue by public transport? By what kind of public transport? • Do your customers come to the venue? How accessible is it for them? • Do your suppliers come to the venue? How accessible is it for them?

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Appendix 3 - Profile of Case Studies Venues

REDFERN STREET VILLAGE CASE STUDIES Performance Moogahlin Name 107 Projects Clothing Store Duckrabbit Space Performing Art Artist/ Multi-purpose Visual art studio Art festival Performing art Visual artist Organisation creative venue X 8 curating company studio & gallery company

No of year in 2011 (6 Yrs) Apr 2017 (less 2007 (10 Yrs) 2014 (3 Yrs) 2001 (16 Yrs) current venue than 1 Yr) Type of Former Old warehouse Old rail yard Old rail yard Old warehouse building workshop/ (former uniform and blacksmith and blacksmith (former shirt shelter for storage for City workshops workshops factory) disability people Rail) (Carriageworks) (Carriageworks)

Floorspace 1,700 sq meters 54 sq meters - 30 sq meters 180 sq meters per studio Weekly rent $0 $60 per space - $168 ($730 per $575 ($30,000 ($AUD) month) per annum)

Owner of City of Sydney UrbanGrowth/ NSW Govt/ NSW Govt/ Esperanto building Railcorp Carriageworks Carriageworks Society Subsidies for Y (City of Y (venue Y (resident Y (resident N venue (Y/N) Sydney managed by company of company of accommodation Carriageworks) Carriageworks) Carriageworks) grant) Tenure 2021 (10 Yrs) May 2018 (1 Yr) 2018 (3 Yrs, 2021 (recently Informal lease (length of currently renewed for 3 lease) negotiate for Yrs) renewal) Rental NA - Y (May face 2% (CPI) 5% (CPI) increase per bigger increase year in 2019) Development/ N Y N N - Demolition clause (Y/N)

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Semi- Studio Damien Galerie Work-Shop FBi Radio Grumpy Sailor Permanent Butler pompom Creative classes, Multi-media Radio Sculpture & Commercial art Multi-media exhibition & & digit event production installation gallery & project digital company retailing company artist studio space & co-working space 2014 (3 Yrs) 2014 (3 Yrs) 2003 (14 Yrs) 2012 (5 Yrs) 2007 (10 Yrs) 2012 (5 Yrs)

Warehouse Industrial Commercial Old warehouse Old warehouse Commercial building building (depot for with retail space building storage of farming machinery) 550 sq meters 75 sq meters - 380 sq meters - 220 sq meters (gross) - - $385 ($20,000 $100 per sq - $120 per space per annum) meter per annum - - - City of Sydney - Dana Holding

Y (City of N Y (small public Y (City of N N Sydney STEP fund) Sydney) program)

2019 (2 Yrs) Informal lease 2019 (3 Yrs can 2017 (1-2 5 Yrs 5 Yrs extend for 3 Yrs, current more years) lease under negotiation) - - Y (% not - 5% ­ disclosed)

Y (demolition) - - Y - ­

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GREEN SQUARE VILLAGE CASE STUDIES The Nest Square One aMBUSH Stables Name Creative Studio 301 Studios Gallery Studios Space Artist/ Co-working Visual art Co-working Music studio Co-working Organisation artist studios gallery & artist studios artist studios programme space No of year in 2014 (2.5 Yrs) 2007 (10 Yrs) 2013 (3.5 Yrs) Jan 2017 (1 Yr) 2009 (8 Yrs) current venue Type of building Industrial Industrial Old Warehouse Warehouse A former building building (former building stable/factory (Harvey furniture store) Norman logistic centre) Floorspace 900 sq meters 800 sq meters 500 sq meters - 200-250 sq (gross) (40 (gross) meters (8 studios) studios), 10-12 sq meters each space) Weekly rent ($220 per sq $1,342 $50-$165 per - $80-90 per ($AUD) meter per ($70,000 per space space annum), $100 annum) per space Owner of building Harvey - Gascorp - Factory owner Norman next to the building

Subsidies for N N N N N venue (Y/N) Tenure (length of 3 Yrs May 2018 (2-3 6 mons (min - 2020 (3 Yrs) lease) (renewable for Yrs) (currently 1 month per another 2 Yrs) negotiate for studio) (min 1 mon per renewal) studio) Rental increase - 15% increase - - Y (CPI) per year in 2017, may face 39% increase in 2018 Development/ N Y Y (demolition) N ­ Demolition clause (Y/N)

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Notes: OTHER CASE STUDIES 1. Due to the sensitivity of Matchbox financial information, some Name Claypool Pictures interviewees declined to disclose their tenancy information (e.g., Artist/Organisation TV production Pottery studio name of landlord, rent per week, length of tenure and rental increase) Missing data are denoted as ‘-’. No of year in 2011 (6 Yrs) Sep 2017 (less current venue than 1 Yr) 2. Rent per week is calculated according to the method Type of building Heritage listed Warehouse recommended by the Tenants’ warehouse building with Union ACT (Tenants’ Union ACT, building retail space 2018). The figures are indicative only.

Floorspace - ­

Weekly rent ($AUD) - -

Owner of building - A member of Claypool

Subsidies for venue N N (Y/N) Tenure (length of 2017 (will move 3 Yrs (can lease) to George extend for 3 Street in 2018) more years)

Rental increase per - - year

Development/ N N Demolition clause (Y/N)

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Appendix 4 - Summary of Trends, Issues and Considerations

Emerging Trends Issues Considerations Availability of affordable Visibility & City-wide Collectives: Promote better use creative space in the City and visibility of existing space in City of Sydney and across metropolitan Sydney Trend 1: Commercialisation of Suitability of creative Volume & Policy Levers: Increase supply of diverse cultural production space and tenure creative space and advocate for alternative policies and space

Disappearance of Inversion & Investment: Map and save remaining industrial buildings industrial buildings for potential cultural investment, Trend 2: Gentrification activate general space for creative enterprises and of the inner city affordable housing Diminishing creative Pooling: Support knowledge-sharing between clusters creative clusters to combine resources and advocacy efforts Trend 3: Privatisation of cultural Restrictions arising from Process: Innovative planning, administrative and infrastructure planning issues and communicative procedures to overcome barriers building controls

Need for targeted Cultural Sector Protection & Collaboration: Trend 4: Casualisation support and funding Initiate more residential programs and funding of cultural workers programs opportunities for emerging artists and smaller-scale and flexibilisation of organisations creative workspace Unsuitability of ‘one Cooperation: Support initiatives through multi-level size fits all’ approach to government cooperation, identify and support creative space planning creative brokers to facilitate long term collaboration between cultural community and government Trend 5: Diversification Limited space availability Cooperation: Foster a metropolitan Sydney of creative space in outer metropolitan perspective and cultural planning approach by Sydney enhancing dialogue among council areas

96 RESEARCHER BIOGRAPHIES Researcher Biographies

Lead consultant Lead consultant Lead consultant Distinguished Professor Ien Ang Emeritus Professor David Rowe Professor Deborah Stevenson Professor Ang is one of the Emeritus Professor Rowe has Professor Stevenson is a leaders in cultural studies published extensively on the Professor of Sociology and Urban worldwide, with interdisciplinary transformations in contemporary Cultural Research in the Institute work spanning many areas of the cultural life, especially in the for Culture and Society whose humanities and social sciences. key areas of cultural citizenship, research activities and interests She has collaborated extensively sport, media, urban leisure, are focused in particular on arts with partner organisations artistic practice and the politics and cultural policy, cities and including the NSW Premier’s of the public sphere. He is a urban life, and place and identity. Department, the Art Gallery of Fellow of both the Australian She has published widely on these New South Wales, the Special Academy of the Humanities topics including the recent books, Broadcasting Service, the and the Academy of the Social The City (Polity), Cities of Culture: A Australia Council and the City of Sciences in Australia, and in 2015 Global Perspective (Routledge) and Sydney. She also recently chaired was Western Sydney University Tourist Cultures: Identity, Place and an Expert Working Group on Researcher of the Year. He is the Traveller (co-authored, Sage). Smart Engagement with Asia: an Honorary Professor of the Her research program has been Leveraging Language, Research University of Bath and a Research supported by external funding Associate of SOAS, University and Culture, for the Australian from a range of sources, and she of London. Professor Rowe has has been a Chief Investigator Council of Learned Academies’ been a research consultant to on seven successful ARC grants Securing Australia’s Future several government departments, with her two recent projects program. She has published a local councils, professional being ‘Recalibrating Culture: number of consultancy reports organisations and community Production, Consumption, Policy’ including the latest one with Dr groups. He has been a Chief and ‘Australian Cultural Fields: Philip Mar entitled Promoting Investigator on ten Australian National and Transnational diversity of cultural expression in Research Council projects. His Dynamics’. Professor Stevenson arts in Australia for the Australia latest book is the co-edited has worked as an advisor Council for the Arts, Sydney. She Making Culture: Commercialisation, and consultant to all levels of is currently working on a book Transnationalism, and the State government including most with Prof Kay Anderson, Prof of ‘Nationing’ in Contemporary recently as a member of the Donald McNeill, Dr Andrea Del Australia (Routledge, in press). Ministerial Reference Group for Bono and Dr Alexandra Wong on Professor Rowe’s work has been the NSW Arts and Cultural Policy the transformation of Sydney’s published in many languages, Framework. Chinatown in the Asian century including Chinese, French, (to be published by Rowman & Turkish, Spanish, Italian, Korean Littlefield International). and Arabic.

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Technical advisor and Research the educational experiences of analyst refugee students in partnership with the New South Wales Dr Liam Magee Teachers’ Federation. Dr Magee researches and publishes in the areas of urban development and digital Research analyst technology, examining innovative Dr Teresa Swist ways software, databases, maps and networks can improve our Dr Swist is a Research Fellow cities. He has worked in the at the Institute for Culture and US, South Africa, Cambodia, Society. She has been a research Australia and India on urban consultant for the Department and technology projects with of Communications and the Arts, World Vision, Accenture, as well as for the Commissioner Microsoft, FujiXerox and the for Children and Young People. City of Melbourne. Prior to his She has been an investigator on PhD, Dr. Magee worked as a a number of projects including software developer, manager ‘Mapping Kolorob’ which examine and consultant in a number of ways to improve access to start-ups and small businesses. services in low income areas in Dr Magee is a Senior Research Dhaka, Bangladesh using mobile Fellow at the Institute for Culture technology and ‘Gapfiller’, a and Society currently working on commissioned research by the a number of ARC funded research Penrith City Council to explore projects, including the one barriers and opportunities to entitled ‘Antarctic Cities and the sustain employment at Penrith Global Commons’. His latest book Business Park. She has published Interwoven Cities was published by widely in the areas of digital Palgrave Macmillan, UK in 2016. place-making, curation and creativity. Her research interests span participatory design and the Project manager and Research intersections between community, analyst technology, innovation, mapping and social change. Dr Alexandra Wong Dr Wong is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Culture and Designer and Research analyst Society. She is experienced Mr Andrea Pollio in project management, as is evidenced in her successful Mr Pollio is a PhD candidate completion of two large-scale at the Institute for Culture and Australian Research Council- Society currently working on the funded projects, entitled last phase of his doctoral thesis. ‘Developing Criteria to Help Between 2012 and 2013 Andrea Solve Australia’s Urban Crisis’ collaborated with the European and ‘Sydney’s Chinatown in the Union project Peripheria, Asian Century’ between 2010 working in a team to design an and 2015. Her research explores interactive participatory service the interplay of innovation/ for a neighbourhood of Milan. creativity, culture and urban At the Institute for Culture and theories, covering a wide range of Society, Andrea has participated topics such as cultural economy, as research assistant in a number knowledge cities, migration, of ARC-funded grants, and, most housing, multiculturalism, recently, was part of the team innovation and entrepreneurship. involved in the Mapping Culture She is currently working on an report for the City of Sydney. ARC-funded Discovery Project concerning the heritage corridor between Australia and China and a consultancy project about

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