Stimulating day and night-time economies

City of Stonnington, Inner SE Metropolitan Partnership, Newmark Capital

The Jam Factory, Prahran | Woiworung and Boonwurrung Country, Victoria

The City of Stonnington has undertaken significant steps to revitalise Chapel Street, a prominent shopping and nightlife precinct. In 2022 post the covid closures, Council explored avenues to revive vacant shops along Chapel St in collaboration with commercial property owners and the Vic Government.

We approached the Council with an art-based solution to activate the empty shopfronts. Creative activations are a tried and tested way to enliven places by augmenting the shopping experience. Activations can strengthen local brand/identity, boost visitation numbers, and extend precinct dwell times.

Proof of Concept: Art-led Precinct Activation

Artbox played a crucial role in successfully executing art-based activations and validating a 'proof of concept' pilot for local and state government agencies - via 'vacant shopfront-takeover artworks'.

See the final report Metropolitan Partnership Development Fund Vacant Shop Takeovers Final Report November 2022

Curating three Melbourne artists, Artbox facilitated collaboration between the artists, City of Stonnington, property owners and suppliers. Stakeholders were presented with clearly defined outcomes in the early design stages, thereby minimising risk and making the artist's creative ideas attractive to landlords.

By integrating art with the urban environment, these works brightened the shopping experience of Chapel Street for locals, visitors and businesses. Activations injected a sense of joy and play that reflected the precinct's dynamic community and colourful character - giving a fresh perspective to familiar places.

Jonathan Sinatra – The Daily Dance Project

Responding to the space at 500 Chapel St during his residency, Jonathan's work combined live dance, collaboration, and video projection, turning the shop window into a screen of another sort. Over the weeks, passersby experienced Jonathan performing new live and improvised works in and around the space, with daily updates to videos screening in the shopfront window.

The Huxleys – Friday Night Fever

The Huxleys gave us Friday Night Fever – a dark, sparkling universe where you can be anyone or anything you like and lose yourself in the magic of dance, disco and decadence. Having the opportunity to take over the iconic TGI Fridays was an exciting prospect to offer passersby the chance to take a queer, fantastical detour from everyday life, bringing a surreal sense of fun, colour and fantasy to the streets. The Huxleys blend high and kitsch fashion as only disco drag can – in stilettos, glitter, fur and outrageous masks - all making for an absurdly fun pseudo-nightclub party.

MO – Ghost Jam

Artist MO (Imogen Van Sebille) uses collages to create her playful and colourful creatures, which are always full of emotion and expression. Ghost Jam is a whimsical installation featuring one of MO's friendly ghost characters having a party in the space of a former family restaurant, the iconic TGIF. Ghost Jam keeps the memories warm for all the good times people have shared here. Ghost Jam brings the positive vibes of the collective experience of friends and families coming together and sharing a meal.