The six-month rejuvenation project will make our laneways even more attractive.
It will also create an extra 150 jobs through Working for Victoria, which has already seen 10,000 jobs created as part of the $500 million initiative. (Featured image: @vaun0815)
Artists and workers in the creative industries have been hit especially hard by the city lockdown. Unable to perform gigs or produce events for the past number of months, many have struggled. But also without the artists, creators, performers and event producers putting on shows and putting together installations, we the public have been starved of what we have taken for as a staple to our city: street art.
A call has gone out for designers, music producers, audio-visual specialists, production designers, and technicians, as well as maintenance workers to complete the revamp that 40 or so laneways will receive.
Tattersalls Lane, Heffernan Lane, Flinders Court, Healeys Lane and McKillop Street will be among the laneways to get a bit of sprucing up with Westwood Lane to be the first in receiving the installation of creative lighting and art designed to improve amenity and increase foot traffic.
Raglan Street, Little Errol Street and Bakery Lane are among candidates for a makeover in North Melbourne, while Kelvin Place, Beard Place and Canada Lane in Carlton are also set to get a facelift.
The City of Melbourne will also get their hands in the mix and help ”create a network of laneways with their own stories, visuals and acoustic designs, shedding new light on some of the city’s lesser-known laneways.”
The laneway revamp project goes hand in hand with the $100 million fund to back CBD cafes, restaurants and bars explore their al fresco dining opportunities.
Minister for Creative Industries Martin Foley has said that the state is ”helping people from the creative industries to use their talents to create a legacy for the city that will be enjoyed by Melbourne’s residents, workers and visitors for years to come.”
We’re hoping that this is true, but also that Melbourne’s underground Grafitti and Street Art culture that gave rise to our laneways international reputation will not be stifled.