Studio Brunswick

Overview:

I founded Studio Brunswick to transform the artist studio I was co-running into a thriving photography rental space. Over three years, I expanded to build two additional studios in separate buildings across Brunswick’s industrial redevelopment zones.

For Studios Two and Three, I established a strategic partnership with Nightingale Housing, taking on leases to convert buildings slated for demolition into vibrant creative spaces during their final three years in the Brunswick Industrial Area.

At our peak, we operated as a team of five, managing in-house staff and administrative operations while facilitating over 800 studio hires. We attracted diverse and notable clients including Kodak, Foxtel, Google, Milk Records, Universal Music Group, MECCA, and Discount Universe.

You can see the original website here: LINK

Studio two - 30 Hope Street, Brunswick.

Ethos & Grants

We ran many different initiatives to help support the local community and here are some we came up with.

The Assistant in Residence:

The Assistant in Residence program provided ten emerging photographers with two-month residencies including free weekly studio access. The program was designed to support early-career photographers with the resources and space needed to develop their practice without financial burden.

Community Grants:

Studio Brunswick offered weekly community grants, providing free or low-cost studio access to local artists and community groups for rehearsals, exhibitions, and workshops. Regular recipients included The Body Speaks dance project, Extinction Rebellion art workshops, and various theatre groups. Over forty community projects utilised the space through this program, with a nominal $20 fee covering insurance and utilities.

Fundraiser Exhibitions:

Between 2015 and 2018, we organised annual multidisciplinary art shows focusing on climate change and environmental themes. These exhibitions - Ocean, Volcano, and Boil the Ocean - raised over $20,000 for organisations including Friends of the Earth and the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre.

Awards & Contributions:

We established ongoing partnerships with local creative institutions, providing awards and prizes including: $1500 for RRR Radio’s radiothon, $2500 for the Centre for Contemporary Photography’s Salon award, and $1250 in studio credit for RMIT fashion graduates. Quarterly donations of $500 supported organisations including the Melbourne Buddhist Centre, Doctors Without Borders, and Waltja Tjutangku Palyapayi Aboriginal Corporation.

This community-focused approach aimed to balance commercial operations with support for Melbourne’s creative sector, providing accessible workspace and resources for emerging artists and community initiatives.

Many thanks to James Lim of Your Creative for designing the logo.