Once the small inner city St Mark’s Catholic Church and an adjacent rectory, this building still sported fading pictures of a sprightly Pope John Paul II when Renew Newcastle took it on. It had been empty so long that when we tried to return a note and a small sum of money to the Church, no one there remembered it.

In late 2008 this building became the first one handed over to Renew Newcastle’s management and the first to be renewed. Since taking over the building Renew Newcastle has been working to establish it as an office, a meeting space and home to a wide range of projects and events by – and for – the Newcastle community such as the beanstalk organic food co-op.

The building also has some small, austere, residential spaces attached and Renew Newcastle hopes to make it the home of our Artists in Residence Program during in 2009.

October 2009 Update: We’ve done a little bit of sprucing up around the Church (as it has become known) and thanks to amazing local metal sculptor Tom Ireland we have a (big) sign so you know where we are! See Tom in the pics just after installation, looking proud of his work.

Find us on the map – 3 Morgan St Newcastle NSW 2300

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