Tom Cerdan has been commissioned by Love My Place grant recipient, the Fitzroy Street Business Association, to create a mural on the side of a building at the corner of Jackson and Fitzroy streets. The visual artist is also a participant in the Renew Fitzroy Street rent-free pop-up shop trial. The mural design is being finalised.
Perky penguins, enchanting lights and a mural in pride of place on Fitzroy Street are among the latest projects funded under Port Phillip Council's Love My Place program.
This Love My Place round provides grants up to $15,000 to help local residents, organisations and businesses bring their creative ideas to life on the City's high streets.
"Beautifying public spaces is one of the many ways we are supporting our City's COVID-19 social and economic recovery," Mayor Louise Crawford said.
"It's a fun and easy way of tapping into the tremendous creativity of our community. And by adding to the life and vibrancy of our high streets, we enhance our reputation as a great place to live and visit."
Fitzroy Street Business Association President David Blakeley said their grant allowed the Association to commission a double-storey mural on the side of a building directly next door to the Victorian Pride Centre, due to open later this year. "The mural by visual artist Tim Cerdan will be a great connection between 'old' Fitzroy Street and our newest neighbour, the Pride Centre."
Other grant winners receiving $15,000 each in this first round of Love My Place Beautification High Street funding are:
- Penguin Trail to Acland Village (Acland Street Village Business Association): In collaboration with the local Boonwurrung Foundation, ASVBA will install two or three larger than life penguin sculptures in St Kilda, with penguin footprints leading from the corner of Jacka Boulevard and Shakespeare Grove to Acland Street. The project will encourage visitors from the beach to enjoy Acland Village and snap selfies with the beguiling 'birds'.
- Elwood Village Beautification (Elwood Traders' Association): Beautification of trees and signage on the roundabouts at Foam Street/Ormond Road and Beach Avenue/Ormond Road will be undertaken by local artists, particularly those affected by the pandemic. The artists will restore or recreate a welcome sign to Elwood Village as well as up-lighting and lighting the trees.
- Illumination by Klarendon Pty Ltd: Decorative lighting will be installed in some trees and verandas in South Melbourne to enhance their visual
appeal at night and improve safety. The project covers Clarendon Street, between Park and Dorcas streets, down to Coventry Street (funds allowing).
The Council has also taken the opportunity to fund two extra projects ($10,000 each) from its community arts funding stream as they will also help enliven and beautify high streets. They are:
- Ormond Road Street Art Project (Elwood Traders' Association): Local artists will showcase their work by creating street art on laneway walls and the footpath at Elwood Village - Ormond Road.
- Bank Street Butter Vision by Prince Wine Store: The façade of the old South Melbourne Butter factory in Bank Street will become a 'screen' for a visual art projection installation, using projection to display moving visual art.
All six projects will appear over the next few months.
About $100,000 was allocated in the first round of 2020-21's Love My Place grants announced in November last year. Savings from the postponed 2021 St Kilda Festival were used as a funding pool for this round.
Pictured: Tom Cerdan has been commissioned by Love My Place grant recipient, the Fitzroy Street Business Association, to create a mural on the side of a building at the corner of Jackson and Fitzroy streets. The visual artist is also a participant in the Renew Fitzroy Street rent-free pop-up shop trial.
The mural design is being finalised.
