Join us on the First Friday of the month – this Friday 4 June – for the Grand Opening of the newest Renew Newcastle project and the Re-Opening of the shortest!
The Black Chandelier
The Black Chandelier is an art gallery and showroom featuring the work of 14 diverse local artists – painters, sculptors, jewellers, woodworker, blacksmith, leather worker, weaver, felter and ceramicists.
Featured artists include: Brian Cox, Wollombi Woodwork, Erin Fry, Helen Doble, Ellen Howell, Naomi Wild, Will Maguire, Amorelita, Jo Dyer, Alanna Pike, Ellen Riley & more.
Prolific local painter and chanteuse Limerick Kaye has lovingly transformed a high ceilinged, concrete floor and besa-block walled shell of a shopfront into an elegant contemporary art gallery – with a red floor that shines like a blood-slick and, of course, a charming black chandelier holding court in its centre.
It is the first Renew Newcastle space to open on the harbour side of the railway tracks, close to the Honeysuckle restaurant area.
Address: Shop 8, cnr Centenary Rd & Merewether St Newcastle
Location: Cross the Railway track near Civic Station, diagonally opposite the Crown Plaza
Grand Opening Night: 7-9pm, with ribbon cutting and opening remarks by Lisa Slade
Before It Began
Some of you may have come along to the grand opening of the Before It Began fashion boutique in the Hunter St Mall last month. In what was the quickest turnaround of space yet, the girls had to move their shop location after only 1 day of trade and a killer opening night fashion show.
In true Renew spirit, Before It Began has happily re-opened in a new location at the other end of the Mall (previously Ciao Meow, which has now moved with their own shop lease on King St!).
Before It Began will launch their new shop location this Friday evening with special late night trading. Come and meet the artists before they get famous!
We are hoping someone in the community can help us get our hands on some computer equipment for the office – preferably for free or favour!
Image courtesy of http://www.globalnerdy.com/tag/old-computers/
We are in need of a reliable PC or laptop to be used in the office by our staff and our volunteers. Hopefully a little smaller than this one!
It doesn’t have to be the latest model, but it does need to be in a sprightly state, with capacity to handle having a few programs – accounting package, office suite, internet etc.
Perhaps you are upgrading at home or at work and need to find a new home for your castaways? Think of us!
If you can help, please phone 0434 637 897 or email marni@renewnewcastle.org
Renew Newcastle founder Marcus Westbury also has a gig doing regular blogging over at the ABC Arts gateway.. So when Renew Newcastle played host to a group of Australian and Japanese architects, he took a camera along and has just uploaded the results.
Check out some of the interesting ideas and interventions for Newcastle and enjoy the music by newly appointed Chair of Renew Newcastle’s board Rod Smith’s band Firekites.
This could be the biggest First Friday of the month yet! Please join us for our first walking tour for 2010 - there are some new projects on the block, exhibition opening and closing parties, and you can see for yourself how the Mall has changed over the past year or so.
It'll be a cosy evening stroll through the city, with sips of wine & nibblies on the way to keep us warm. Come for the whole tour, or meet us part way through. You’re most welcome to linger longer at any of the shops and galleries, which are open late on the First Friday of every month.
5.00pm @ Renew HQ - Meet Renew Newcastle General Manager Marni Jackson. The Church, 3 Morgan St.
Have a peek at the Felt Hat making workshop (or if you’d like to participate, it begins at 5.30pm) The demonstration will involve the blocking (moulding & shaping) of felt over a wooden hat block: how it is stretched, secured, dried, ‘sized’ and finished.
Makespace is proud to introduce their newest maker - Kellie Hourigan of 'queen street creative'. Come meet Kellie and see her beautiful paintings before they're all snapped up. Mum's: bring the kids and let them make you a special mum's day card in our kids corner, while you share a knowing smile and a well earned wine or two with us.
6.10pm @ Before It Began – Shop Grand Opening. Shop 2, 200 Hunter St, 6-9pm
Recycled/Reclaimed/Junk inspired fashion and accessories by young local designers. Opening night features junked up catwalk models & entertainment by Grandmaster Monk.
6.40pm @ Ciao Meow – New Shop Opening Party. 169 King St, 6-9pm
Robyn from Ciao Meow has moved on from her Renew Newcastle shopfront in the mall. Congratulations Robyn! Join her in celebrating her transition to a commercial lease and her new shop opening on King St.
7.15pm @ Loop Space – Exhibition. 109 Hunter St Mall, 6-8pm
Currently on exhibition at Loop Space a group show with Video by DEMUX; Audio by Ros Bandt; Photography by Anette Willis; Paintings by local artists Annemarie Murland and Peter Lankas; and mixed photomedia by Damian Castaldi. Visit website for more details.
7.30pm @ Arthive Gallery – Exhibition Opening: Photomedia Mayhem. Upstairs 111 Hunter St (off Morgan St), 7-10pm
Photomedia Mayhem is a month long celebration of all things photography including a Camera Wunderkamma, slide nights, group photography show and much much more! Opening night features entertainment by Casio Gloria on bent spoken beats and bells, and Kraig Grady playing a magical 12-tone scaled vibraphone. Visit website for more details.
Join us for First Friday of the month - 7th May. 5.00-8.00pm
Remember this? Hunter Street Mall in December 2008. All the red dots were empty. Click on the map to zoom in.
With the opening of our latest group of projects, Renew Newcastle has clocked the 50 mark!
In less than 18 months we have initiated 51 new projects in what was once a dead zone in the Newcastle CBD. Some have been and gone but Renew Newcastle currently has more than 30 projects that we are supporting. They includes galleries, studios, arts and crafts stores, fashion designers, a food co-op, designers, publishers, photographers and much much more. We've also managed to put free wifi in the mall, galvanise the Newcastle creative community and spawned similar initiatives in Adelaide, Townsville, Lismore, and interest from many other parts of the country.
The more exciting thing is the bigger picture. Renew Newcastle has been a catalyst for a pretty major transformation around the Hunter Street Mall area. It's easy to forget that there were more than 20 empty shops in this one strip less than a year ago now. It's certainly changed.
The same area in late 2009. The blue arrows are our projects, and the yellow are new commercial tenants. Click on the map to Zoom in.
Of course, it's only the beginning. A lot of Newcastle still needs a lot of work. We've started to move out to sites in Hunter Street West and soon over in Honeysuckle and we are always on the look out for new property owners who might be interested to participate. Get in touch if you can help us find or have property.
If you are interested in reading more about our projects and people's reactions, check out the media section of our web site for more about the projects and the discussions we've been generating.
Our friends at The Loft Arts & Cultural Centre are having their 10th birthday party this weekend and they are getting into the Renew Newcastle spirit of things by throwing a street party in the Hunter St Mall!
On the Street
Helping to liven up the party on the street stage will be bands - Here Come The Birds, Enemy Of Average, Allay the Sea, There Goes The City, Control Disorder, The Pedantics, local African Hip Hop group K-Square & The Anti-Slam Poetry Crew as well as a diverse range of performance artists including Carnivale D’Light & entertainment. Location: Cnr Hunter St & Wolfe St.
At the Loft
Inside the venue will be a variety of art exhibitions featuring the work of local young artists & fun workshops from Badgemaking , to DJing , Breakdancing & Capoeira. With Guided venue tours running throughout the day. Location: 7a Wolfe St.
Renew Project Features
With National Youth Week around the corner (11-18 April), Renew Newcastle is taking the opportunity to highlight two projects which are run by some amazing young people: Susy Pow's Bird in the Hand Design Challenge and Conor Ashleigh's Young Eyes exhibition are both part of The Loft's Birthday showcase.
Bird in the Hand Design Challenge
This competition was for emerging designers and artists to create an image that will be screenprinted onto t-shirts, tote bags and postcards. The winners havent been announced yet - stay tuned for celebration details. But in the meantime, wander up to Bird in the Hand zine shop and check out what's new in store Location: 100a King St, 11-4pm
Young Eyes Photo Exhibition
Conor Ashleigh's photographic stories, based on his recent travels around the world. Location: Shop 1, 200 Hunter St Mall, 10am - 9pm
The Mall Markets are also on 9-3pm - Come along to the Hunter St Mall this Saturday 10 April - 1pm-9pm.
The Event is presented by The Loft Arts & Cultural Centre , LiveSites , National Youth Week & Newcastle City Council with support from Renew Newcastle & Arts NSW .
The Loft 10th Birthday
Sat 10th April 1-9pm
The Loft Youth Venue
1/7A Wolfe St Newcastle
Come along to the Hunter St Mall this Thursday 01 April from 5pm - 8pm to go on your own gallery tour and check out whats new in some of the Renew Newcastle shops.
We usually celebrate on the First Friday night of each month, but its a religious holiday this Friday, so we thought we'd bring it forward a day. You can start your Easter break with a gallery hop and some sweet creative treats at the following special events:
Look See Exhibition Opening - design and illustration from local and national artists. Location: Level 1, above the Food Court in Market Square, Hunter St Mall
Makespace Easter celebrations - they have two new makers to introduce to you, plus will teach you how to make your own Easter egg collecting basket! Location: 19 Wolfe St Download an Invitation (pdf)
Totoro's Tea House Closing Party - the Tea house is pouring its last cup, with a photographic exhibition to celebrate some of its most special moments. Come and say goodbye to Totoro! Location: Shop 1, 111 Hunter St Mall
Arthive - Line King Exhibition Closing - A collection of Chris Brown's latest black & white photographic works & a large geometric installation using over 10kms of string. Location: Upstairs, 111 Hunter St (entry off Morgan St)
If you are interested in art and design and the spaces in between you should come along to the opening night of Look See - at 6pm on Thursday 1 April.
By Sophie Tyler
Look See will showcase a range of pieces that have been contributed from professional artists, designers and illustrators all over Australia. Works curated from an open submission are also included - most of these are from Newcastle artists, designers and photographers, so it will be great to see some of our local talent on show beside the work of some of the industry’s most successful designers, artists and illustrators.
By Jayden Osbourne
Look See exhibition runs from 1st - 30th April - join them on Facebook for updates on opening days and times.
Location: Suite 40, Level 1 Market Square (above the Food Court) Hunter St Mall, Newcastle.
The Look See organisers are Carl Morgan and Lara Schubert from Zookraft who will be popping up soon in a new Renew Newcastle studio space:
"The aim of Look Hear and Look See is to promote design culture in Newcastle by entertaining and informing people interested in art and design. Another function is to create a platform for developing artists and designers to get noticed for their skills.
Covering a broad range of themes and disciplines such as graphic design, illustration, art, photography, architecture and much more, the Look Hear and Look See events are for anyone interested in creativity."
Look Hear - free public design, art and architecture talks
The Look See exhibition follows the Look Hear series of talks which take place on Wednesday evenings in March - 5.30pm at Newcastle Region Art Gallery, Laman St.
The final week - Wednesday 31 March - features a presentation by stop-motion animator Jane Shadbolt and the talent behind Pop Frenzy Records Tour posters We Buy Your Kids
Renew Newcastle's city revitalisation activity over the last 12 months has gained local and international attention. The CitySwitch program were so interested in what was happening in Newcastle they decided to host their 2nd International workshop in Newcastle this year.
CitySwitch is an international exchange between Japan and Australia, where urban designers, architects and artists collaborate over 5 intense days, to collaborate on the creative activation of urban spaces.
The organisers are currently seeking more Newcastle artists, designers, architects, thinkers and urban interventionists to participate in the project next week:
// CALL FOR PARTICIPANTS: 2nd International CitySwitch Workshop, Newcastle 23-27 Feb 2010 //
CitySwitch Lab invites you to downtown Newcastle to collaborate with a team of architects, artists, and designers from across NSW and Japan for the 2nd international workshop on urban revitalisation.
... "We are working on the ground to create four catalytic interventions within downtown Newcastle"
... "Artists, architects, creators, and thinkers of the city are all invited to take part in the workshop"
The workshop includes the collaborative design and production of four different urban intervention projects, a series of international lectures, and a range of social events. The workshop culminates in a public show to exhibit, critique and celebrate the works on Saturday the 27th of February.
International guest creators include: Satoru Yamashiro (Tokyo, Japan), Toshinori Esumi (Izumo, Japan), Jin Hidaka (Japan) and Jun Inokuma (Tokyo, Japan).
The CitySwitch Newcastle 2010 project is supported by the Commonwealth through the Australia-Japan Foundation which is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
CitySwitch Partners: Renew Newcastle, University of Technology Sydney
The Black Chandelier is an art gallery and showroom featuring the work of 14 diverse local artists – painters, sculptors, jewellers, woodworker, blacksmith, leather worker, weaver, felter and ceramicists.
Some of you may have come along to the grand opening of the Before It Began fashion boutique in the Hunter St Mall last month. In what was the quickest turnaround of space yet, the girls had to move their shop location after only 1 day of trade and a killer opening night fashion show.
