PSA: Brissy Council Is Subsidising Rent For Artist Studios At A New Hub

Brisbane City Council have set aside a whoppin’ $300K over three financial years to pay the rent on a to-be-established “creative hub” in South Brisbane until July 1, 2019. 
The two-level, 550-square-metre site boasts several studios, workshops, meeting spaces and a massive warehouse. 
The project, announced in Council’s 2016-17 budget, aims to make the site available for artists, musos, actors, designers, dancers and other creative professionals, looking for an affordable space to create and ply their wares.
As per this year’s Council budget, $111,000 has been set aside for 2017-18, $114K for 2018-19, and $118K for 2019-20. 

The new hub was promised to the community after new developments forced creative tenants out, including the $800-million West Village development at the former Absoe Furniture factory in the West End
Council is now looking to find a non-profit organisation to sub-lease the property starting August this year. The head tenant will be responsible for the management, operation and maintenance of the creative spaces, including the setting of reasonable rent for creative persons. 
Matthew Bourke, Council’s community services chairman, is straight up stoked on the opportunity presented by the new hub: 

The new creative hub highlights council’s commitment to small arts enterprises and contributes to our vision of promoting Brisbane as the premier location for talented people to live, work and play.” 

But the councillor representing South Brisbane, Jonathan Sri, took to Facebook on the weekend to note the possible challenges, citing the need for the non-profit to ultimately be able to pay commercial rents once Council funding lapsed; and the v. v. short three-week timeframe for expressions of interest. 

Irregardless, Sri reckons it’s a great opportunity, and to be frank, so do we. Having an affordable space to, for example, rehearse and record music can make the difference between playing forever in your parents’ basement and actually breaking into the music biz. 
Good luck to ’em. 


Source: Brisbane Times
Photo: Realcommercial.com.au. 

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