DarkLab creates Hanging Garden Green Grocer

Since announcing the cancellation of Dark Mofo, the team behind the popular Winter Feast has busy dreaming up a new initiative for local producers.

SINCE announcing its Dark Mofo cancellation, DarkLab has been busy dreaming up a new outdoor grocer for local producers.

The team behind the popular Winter Feast has created the Hanging Garden Green Grocer in its place, hoping to connect Tasmanian producers with locals in lockdown.

Winter Feast curator Jo Cook said expressions of interest were coming in from “really keen” producers for the “flexible” grocer concept still in its early stages.

Winter Feast curator Jo Cook. Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS

“We got really great feedback from a lot of small producers and supply restaurants,” she said.

“They’ve been incredibly resourceful.

“There’s this great spirit behind everyone being open and supportive.”

She said she hoped to include a mix of bakery items, plant-based products, dairy, small goods, ready-to-eat products and game meats.

She said the grocer would be functional, not social, with 10 safely spaced stalls being designed with advice from the Department of Health.

DarkLab creative director Leigh Carmichael said the project would put the Hanging Garden space and DarkLab team to good use during the festival hiatus, and the proposed seven-day format was up for discussion.

“We want [producers] to survive because some rely on this income.”

He said the grocer team was not financially motivated, instead hoping to break even and capture the Dark Mofo community spirit.

Expressions of interest can be submitted at bit.ly/EOIHangingGardenGreenGrocer