Pop-up art hits the rocks

The Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA) has opened up vacant heritage-listed buildings in the Rocks to artists and designers.

The Rocks Pop-up project is a collaboration with Arts NSW and will open four buildings as affordable work spaces and shops to Australian artists and designers for six months.

“This is a fantastic program that will showcase unique, bespoke and locally distinctive work and profile The Rocks as a home of innovation and creativity in Sydney,” said Planning and Infrastructure Minister Brad Hazzard during the opening on last Wednesday.

“The project aims to support emerging creative workers with access to affordable space to make work, run creative businesses, sell original products and host unique events.” He added.

Lisa Anderson, manager Arts NSW funded Empty Spaces, said the cheap artistic space that the Pop-up Rocks Project provides is a welcome change.

“The lack of affordable space is a major issue for our local artists. The emptying out of emerging and experimental artists from the inner-city over recent years has hurt Sydney’s claim to be a ‘global creative city’. So this access… in the middle of the city can only be win and win.”

Anderson said her research showed that empty space initiatives were less successful when the local authorities were uninvolved:

“The opposite is the case here, where the local authority, the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, is enthusiastically working with the artists and leading this flagship Australian project”

Artistic collective Gaffa is one organisation benefiting from this new space.

Gaffa artist and director, Kelly Robson said:

“Because of the generosity of SHFA there is no pressure to sell things. This is really exciting because space to show experimental work is so scarce, it’s so expensive.”

Robson said Gaffa will use this unique chance to exclusively showcase Australian experimental and contemporary art:

Yuri Nezovic, part of poetry company The Red Room, said many kinds of art in Australia are limited to niche areas and this project will be a great influence for Australian art culture.

“This kind of art is limited to a few key areas; it’s good to get exposure”

“Nothing like this has been done in Sydney before”

Nezovic said the Rocks used to be a hub of artistic culture but since the 20s it’s slowly evaporated and now it’s mainly chain stores:

“The Rocks has all this heritage culture, the buildings have culture but there is no culture inside, it’s all designer fashion. It’s about time culture came back”

NSW minister of the Arts, George Souris said this project can help rejuvenate the Rocks area:

“When shops and other spaces become available for short periods, artists and creative workers breathe new life into a place and keep people coming back.” Minister Souris said.

“I am pleased that innovative arts organisations of the calibre of ICE and the Red Room Company are bringing such energy and enthusiasm to the project.

By Nicholas Jordan