Council supporting our creative communities
Thursday 16 November 2017
A $200,000 live music development fund, the introduction of live music in shopfronts, an expanded street art program and a proposal to bring Vivid to local landmarks are all part of a range of initiatives being investigated to breathe new life into the Sydney’s inner west.
“I want a comprehensive plan to keep the inner west as the creative heart and soul of Sydney and make sure local artists will always have spaces to display and perform their work,” Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said.
“I am proudly on the side of artists and their audiences. These measures will bring visual art, music and live performance into thousands more public spaces and private venues,” Mayor Byrne said.
Mayor Byrne said Council has now adopted a range of measures that could be introduced to support our creative communities, which included:
- Establishing a $200,000 Live Music Development Fund to help finance equipment and fire safety measures so artists and venues can present more gigs at existing live music venues, as well as establish new venues
- Bringing arts and live music to shop fronts, former factories, cafes and office blocks to be used as a small scale arts and live music spaces, without the need for a development application to be submitted
- Investing an additional $500,000 in new street art to make the inner west Sydney’s street art capital
- Looking at options to decorate garbage and recycling trucks and other Council vehicles with murals and positive social messages about harmony, respect and diversity
- Expanding the artist in residence program which would include options to set aside five properties as tem residencies and five spaces as temporary work spaces across the local government area to be made available to visual artists, sculptors, and writers
- Creating an Inner West Council Art Prize.
Mayor Byrne said he had also written to the government calling on them to enter immediate negotiations to include our vibrant and culturally diverse community in the Vivid Sydney 2018 program.
“Council has also expressed an in principle commitment to transform the industrial area between Sydenham Station and Victoria Road in Marrickville into a vibrant live music and arts precinct,” he said.