Decision Maker: Council
Decision status: Item Deferred
Moved by Councillor Ellsmore, seconded by
Councillor Weldon -
It is resolved that:
(A)
Council
note:
(i)
107 Redfern
Street, Redfern, is a large community space owned by the City of Sydney
Council;
(ii)
until
recently, the social enterprise ‘107 Projects’ managed both 107 Redfern Street,
and the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Zetland, with Council providing
long-term discounted leases through its accommodation grants program, and other
forms of support;
(iii)
‘107
Projects’ supported a diversity of cultural and community programs and
activities, including courses, art exhibitions and live music performances, to
name a few;
(iv)
on 30
September 2024, 107 Projects handed both sites back to the City of Sydney. Loss
of ‘107 Projects’ and the diversity of innovative artistic and cultural
activities it supported is a major loss for the community;
(v)
the
City of Sydney is continuing to support existing tenants at the Joynton Avenue
Creative Centre and 107 Redfern Street, and has advised the community that “the
City will review and determine new operational models for Joynton Avenue
Creative Centre and 107 Redfern Street”;
(vi)
there
is a high level of need for affordable community and cultural spaces in the
City of Sydney Local Government Area. Not-for-profit organisations, including
Aboriginal organisations, are increasingly unable to afford spaces in the City
of Sydney, due to high rents. In terms of creative uses, along with a lack of
affordable housing, a lack of access to affordable creative spaces has been
identified as a key driver behind the reduction in the number and diversity of
artists in the City of Sydney;
(vii)
the
local community is very interested in how the City intends to reactivate both
107 Redfern Street and the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Zetland;
(viii)
in
particular, there has been long running community interest in the space at 107
Redfern Street from Aboriginal organisations. This space is located in the
heart of Redfern, near a number of Aboriginal community-controlled
organisations; and
(ix)
the
City of Sydney needs to take great care in planning the next phase in the lives
of these prominent venues, given how precious affordable community and creative
spaces have become in recent years in the City of Sydney;
(B)
Council
commit to:
(i)
undertaking an open community consultation to seek feedback from the
community, to help determine the best plan for the future, long term uses of
107 Redfern Street and the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Zetland;
(ii)
ensuring targeted consultation is undertaken with Aboriginal community
organisations, particularly in relation to the 107 Redfern Street property;
(iii)
ensuring short term and temporary uses of the spaces continue, including
continuing to support any pre-existing tenancies, while also ensuring long term
tenancies are not advertised, and new tenants are not moved in, before Council
has had an opportunity to hear and consider options for the future of the
sites; and
(iv)
prioritising Aboriginal community uses and control in relation to the
development of future management options for both properties, but particularly
of 107 Redfern Street;
(C)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to write to 107 Projects to thank them for
their work and support for the community; and
(D)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to provide advice to the March 2025
Council meeting about:
(i)
the
status of the two properties;
(ii)
any
current tenancies, bookings or committed uses for the properties;
(iii)
any
recommended or proposed temporary or ‘pop-up’ uses, which could be implemented
short term to ensure the spaces remain activated;
(iv)
any
discussions or requests to date, with or from organisations, businesses,
individuals and advisory groups (including the Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Advisory Panel) about the properties; and
(v)
a
proposed consultation and community engagement process to seek feedback from
the community about the future of the properties.
Amendment. Moved by Councillor Miller,
seconded by Councillor Kok –
It is resolved that:
(A) Council note:
(i)
107
Redfern Street, Redfern, is a large community space owned by the City of Sydney
Council;
(ii)
until
recently, the social enterprise ‘107 Projects’ managed both 107 Redfern Street,
and the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Zetland, with Council providing
long-term discounted leases through its accommodation grants program, and other
forms of support;
(iii)
‘107
Projects’ supported a diversity of cultural and community programs and
activities, including courses, art exhibitions and live music performances, to
name a few;
(iv)
on 30
September 2024, 107 Projects handed both sites back to the City of Sydney. Loss
of ‘107 Projects’ and the diversity of innovative artistic and cultural
activities it supported is a major loss for the community;
(v)
the
City of Sydney is continuing to support existing tenants at the Joynton Avenue
Creative Centre and 107 Redfern Street, and has advised the community that “the
City will review and determine new operational models for Joynton Avenue
Creative Centre and 107 Redfern Street”;
(vi)
there
is a high level of need for affordable community and cultural spaces in the
City of Sydney Local Government Area. Not-for-profit organisations, including
Aboriginal organisations, are increasingly unable to afford spaces in the City
of Sydney, due to high rents. In terms of creative uses, along with a lack of
affordable housing, a lack of access to affordable creative spaces has been
identified as a key driver behind the reduction in the number and diversity of
artists in the City of Sydney;
(vii)
the
local community is very interested in how the City intends to reactivate both
107 Redfern Street and the Joynton Avenue Creative Centre in Zetland;
(viii)
in
particular, there has been long running community interest in the space at 107
Redfern Street from Aboriginal organisations. This space is located in the
heart of Redfern, near a number of Aboriginal community-controlled
organisations; and
(ix)
the
City of Sydney needs to take great care in planning the next phase in the lives
of these prominent venues, given how precious affordable community and creative
spaces have become in recent years in the City of Sydney;
(B)
it is
the City’s intention to retain 107 Redfern Street and the Joynton Avenue
Creative Centre as public assets for ongoing cultural and creative uses;
(C)
future
long-term use of both premises will be guided by:
(i)
the
City of Sydney Cultural Strategy 2025-2035 unanimously adopted by Council on 25
November 2024 following extensive public consultation;
(ii)
the
ongoing need to address the critical shortage of affordable and accessible
creative and cultural space, including workspace, rehearsal space, exhibition
space and performance space; and
(iii) retaining 107 Project’s vision and
commitment to inclusivity and diversity; and
(D)
the
Chief Executive Officer be requested to:
(i)
write
to 107 Projects to thank them for their work and support for the community; and
(ii)
keep
Councillors informed about developments in the ongoing operations of 107
Redfern Street and Joynton Avenue Creative Centre via the CEO Update.
Procedural Motion
At this stage of the meeting, it was moved by the Chair (the Lord
Mayor), seconded by Councillor Gannon –
That Item 13.8 be deferred to a future meeting of Council.
Carried on the following show of hands –
Ayes (9) The Chair (the
Lord Mayor), Councillors Ellsmore, Gannon, Kok, Maxwell, Miller, Thompson,
Weldon, Wilson (Arkins) and Worling
Noes (1) Councillor
Weldon.
Carried.
X113765
Report author: Erin Cashman
Publication date: 17/02/2025
Date of decision: 17/02/2025
Decided at meeting: 17/02/2025 - Council
Accompanying Documents: