Former Collingwood school site to be turned into arts precinct under private and public partnership

An abandoned Collingwood school that was once home to an influential technical college will be given a creative makeover, which is expected to breathe new life into the area.

Bank of Melbourne is helping to turn a former Collingwood school site into a community arts hub.

A former inner city school will be transformed into an arts hub under an innovative partnership involving government and the private sector.

The 6400 sqm site in Johnston St, Collingwood, is currently a series of vacant buildings and courtyards next to Circus Oz headquarters.

The main building was once home to Collingwood Technical School, which started life as a school of art and design in 1871, and provided vocational training to thousands of returned soldiers after both world wars.

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A historic picture of the former Collingwood Technical School.

But the state government has given the landmark site to social enterprise Contemporary Arts Precincts to turn it into a creative hub with the help of philanthropists and corporate partners.

Bank of Melbourne has chipped in funds to create the Collingwood Arts Precinct, and to help set up a $30,000 residency for up-and-coming artists and creative enterprises to break into the residency.

Once completed, the precinct will provide “a stable, secure, supportive and affordable” home for the next wave of Australian artists to collaborate and innovate.

Confirmed tenants so far include PBS106.7FM and the Music Market, a new home for Victoria’s contemporary music industry.

Launch of the Contemporary Arts Precinct partnership for Collingwood.

Contemporary Arts Precincts CEO Marcus Westbury said his organisation was excited to work with Bank of Melbourne to deliver such an innovative partnership.

“Their support allows CAP to fully complete the works required to reopen the former

Collingwood Technical School site as a new creative hub next year,” he said.

“Bank of Melbourne’s support will flow through to ensure real and vital opportunities for artists, the creative community and the people of Collingwood and Melbourne.”

The old Collingwood tech school site will be turned into a community arts hub.

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Bank of Melbourne chief executive Michelle Winzer said the initiative would breathe new life into a thriving creative corner in the inner city.

“At Bank of Melbourne, we love supporting grassroots community causes that make the arts accessible to a new audience,” she said.

“Programs like the CAP/Bank of Melbourne residency support creative enterprise, reinforcing Melbourne’s position as the nation’s cultural capital.”

A number of additional tenants across fields such as performance, visual arts and literature will be announced in coming months.

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@JMasanauskas