Councils paint a brighter future for artists

Councils paint a brighter future for artists

BY ROJE ADAIMY

The call for more affordable work and living spaces for Sydney artists has gained some level of support from two local councils.
The City of Sydney last week endorsed the conversion of empty warehouses and terraces at the former CUB site on Broadway into temporary studio spaces for artists.
Developers of the site, Frasers Property, are seeking consent for three warehouses and five historic terraces in Kensington Street, Chippendale, to be used by artists until construction of the CUB development.
The development proposal is currently on public exhibition, but some concerns have already been raised about the temporary status of these spaces and the lack of plans for future artists spaces within the site.
The City of Sydney, however, is yet to respond to calls for the inclusion of dedicated artists live/work spaces in the proposed $260 million affordable housing development on the Bay Street Depot site in Glebe.
Hundreds of signatures have been collected by the Pyrmont-Ultimo Chamber of Commerce in a petition to the NSW Parliament requesting that plans be amended to include such spaces.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Leichhardt Municipal Council unanimously endorsed the petition at their meeting last week.
They also agreed to write to the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA), NSW Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, and the local member Verity Firth, requesting a meeting to discuss the potential use of existing buildings at the controversial Callan Park site as artist spaces.

 

You May Also Like

Comments are closed.