Collingwood Technical School to Be Turned into a Huge Creative Arts Precinct

In a pleasant surprise for anyone who works in the arts, the Victorian Government this week had some good news for the creative industries. Instead of gutting arts funding (as the Federal Government did earlier this year with cuts to Australia Council funding), they've announced that they'll contribute a further $3 million to transform the Collingwood Technical School on Johnston Street into a creative hub — essentially ensuring the project's completion. Ahhh it's such a rare and delightful treat to be able to relay news about arts funding that doesn't suck. Let's take a second to drink this moment in.

Okay, the details. Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley this week pledged a further $3 million to the already promised $4 million to the project, which will join another $4 million worth of philanthropic donations (totalling $11 million smackos) to make the hub a reality. The money will go towards developing an arts precinct in the unused and semi-derelict site on Collingwood's Johnston Street. Though the old school has been closed for over ten years, Circus Oz, which will share the site with the new creative hub, set up shop there in 2010.

The brand new precinct will include 976 square metres of green public space, venues for exhibitions, community areas for artists to collaborate and affordable studio and rehearsal space. The site clocks in at 6400 square metres and will be open at the end of 2018.

The project is being spearheaded by social enterprise entity Contemporary Arts Precincts (CAP), which was set up by Creative Victoria to deliver the project. CAP CEO Marcus Westbury says the new precinct will ensure the creative industries aren't forced out of the inner suburbs due to rising rents. "It will offer secure, affordable tenancies and innovative programs to incubate, support and showcase emerging to mid-career artists," Westbury said in a statement this week.

Damn right. And a hot tip for local artists: they're running a tender process for permanent tenants in the next few months. So keep an eye on the Creative Victoria website for more details.

Image: Heritage Council Victoria.