Media release: New plans for Australia’s first fully integrated arts village in Brisbane revealed

New plans for Australia’s first fully integrated arts village in Brisbane revealed

Plans for Australia’s first fully integrated arts village at Yeronga are taking a crucial step forward, with a Change of Use application lodged with Brisbane City Council.

The project will transform the old Taubmans paint factory at 115 Hyde Road into an integrated, mixed-use development. This will shape the concept of ‘live, work and visit’ into an Australian-first precinct catering both to those who work in the creative industries and those keen to make a home in an arts-focused community.

The Change of Use application seeks to change the site from industrial to mixed-use zoning which is a step forward in formalising a vision that began when the factory, which closed in 2015, became a temporary home for local and international artists seeking much-needed space. Since 2015, the facility has evolved into a hub of creativity called The Paint Factory.

The Paint Factory Development Director Paul Hey, a Yeronga resident of more than 23 years, said the village would firmly put Brisbane on the map as a vibrant and innovative destination that took its cues from creative and arts-focused precincts globally.

He said the local project team was excited to champion Brisbane as a creative hub.

“They brought an incredible amount of experience in town planning, urban design, landscape architecture, placemaking, community engagement and development to this project,” Paul said.

“We also spent considerable time consulting with the local arts community across all mediums, as well as our neighbours and the extended national and international arts scene, to ensure the project is perfect for this space.

“It was about hearing from them directly about what the site needs to be successful for years to come.”

Taking inspiration from the way iconic local and international projects such as the Brisbane Powerhouse, Carriageworks in Sydney, the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne, Alte-Spinnerei in Germany and Kanaal in Belgium have reimagined redundant sites, The Paint Factory steps that vision forward by incorporating a residential component.

The design encompasses architecturally designed residences and communal zones alongside green spaces, street art and outdoor performance spaces.

This will allow artists, art galleries, event spaces and facilities for visual artists and other creative professionals to live and work alongside artists-in-residence and retail tenancies.

Paul said input for the project also came from an array of leading Australian artists who already called the site home, including Richard Bell, Judy Watson, Vernon Ah Kee, Ryan Presley and Gordon Hookey. Their creative spaces at The Paint Factory have already taken its scope international.

“During the process of determining the best plans for The Paint Factory, we’ve already had some incredible works created and produced on site,” Paul said.

“These have been viewed and celebrated globally at events and destinations including the 59^th Venice Biennale, Tate Modern in the UK, the Art Institute of Chicago in the US, the National Gallery of Victoria, the Museum of Contemporary Art Australia in Sydney and the Asia Pacific Triennial.

“The Paint Factory has also been the setting for Netflix’s show The Mole and was selected as a filming location for the adaptation of Boy Swallows Universe by Brisbane writer Trent Dalton. It has also been featured in music videos for artists including Cub Sport, Make Them Suffer, Jesswar, WAAX, Hope D, Creed Tha Kid, Nerve and many more.”

The site has further been involved with the Anywhere Festival since 2021, welcomed volunteer guides from the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, hosted high-profile events including Brisbane Fashion Week’s Trash N Treasure Planet Prom hosted by Rachel Burke, Brisbane Art Design (BAD) and the Brisbane Festival’s Brisbane Serenades – Blak Warehouse Party and worked to promote the arts alongside bodies including the National Association for the Visual Arts.

“Having achieved so much already across a broad spectrum of mediums, I can’t wait to see our partnership with the artistic community hopefully become formalised in conjunction with Brisbane City Council,” Paul said.

“It’s an incredible creative vision that will put Brisbane on the map.”

For more information visit thepaintfactory.com.au.

ENDS

To speak to Paul Hey contact Sarah Morgan on 0421 664 969 or sarah.morgan@bespokenagency.com.au.