"Our vision is for Bacchus Marsh to become a regional hub of cultural vitality, where arts and culture connects community through education, participation and creativity." BMACi Strategic Plan, 2014-18
What is the Creative Arts Hub?
The Creative Arts Hub will be a creative arts studio and digital lab for the local community, located within the Darley Civic and Community Hub complex. It will act as a home-base for our creative and cultural industries; a place for local artists, makers and creative freelancers to connect and build their practice and for the community to participate in artistic and creative activities in a variety of mediums.
More than just a place, the Hub will also deliver workshops and events for the local community. We’ve got some exciting things planned: think kids and adults art classes, community crafting over coffee, open-access tech afternoons, artist talks, co-working, networking nights and more.
Why do we need a Creative Hub?
We are home to a community of artists and makers.
A third of Moorabool residents created art or crafts over a 3-month period (VicHealth Indicators Survey, 2011)
The Creative Arts Hub will unite us; engage the community to experience and experiment with the arts and creative industries; inspire new projects and collaborations and provide a space for our artists, makers and creatives to share their skills.
Our creative freelancers expressed a craving for connection and co-working space. The Hub’s Digital Lab will support their work, encouraging networking and innovation.
I'm not an artist, what will a Creative Arts Hub do for me?
You don't have to be an artist to benefit from "the Arts".
Creative and cultural industries bring communities together, enhance our hearts and minds, and boost economic development.
More than just a workspace, the Hub will provide a home for our creative and cultural industries and a solid foundation for us at BMACi to build upon and deliver future projects to our community. Reaching beyond simply arts and creative practice and into education, economic vitality, health and well-being and social cohesion.
Where's the project at now?
In July 2018, Bacchus Marsh Arts Council Inc. applied for $75,594 of funding for the Creative Hub project through Pick My Project . The project, "MarshMade Creative Hub" was shortlisted for the Community Voting stage in August 2018.
Pick My Project was a State Government of Victoria funding initiative designed to support grassroots community projects. Local communities were encouraged to vote for their three favourite shortlisted projects during August/September 2018. There was a minimum of $1 million of funding available to projects in the Central Highlands region. Funding was awarded to the projects which received the most votes by their local communities.
In the Central Highlands region, 150 projects were shortlisted, with 23 of those being in the Arts and Culture category and a total of 13 projects based in the Moorabool Shire. With a total population of 195,964 in the Central Highlands region, 4,745 people participated in the Community Voting stage, submitting a total of 14,235 votes.
The Creative Arts Hub project received 128 votes. While being the third most popular in the Arts and Culture category, the project was placed 33rd overall in the region and was unsuccessful the 2018 round of funding.
Bacchus Marsh Arts Council Inc. would like to sincerely thank the local community for their support of our Pick My Project application. We are actively researching further grants and funding opportunities to continue the development of the project, so encourage you to keep an eye on this space.