The Village Square has been nominated as a finalist in the category of ‘Outstanding Small Rural Council Initiative’, in the LG Pro Awards for Excellence 2023.
The Village Square was a successful, temporary activation of a vacant block of land located along Frederick Street in the heart of Castlemaine.
The project supported the development, retention and recovery of our local creative industries and provided a welcoming space to safely gather outdoors.
Image: Vicki Anderson, Suzanna Kalk, Azzy Jones and Steph Riddel at the Village Square – March 2021
Supported by three Victorian State Government funding programs, the project included the establishment of a ‘Curatorium’ comprising of community-focused producers delivering professional development pathways through cultural activities and workshops, primarily focused on young people.
The project’s infrastructure and program was seasonally responsive and was developed for a wide range of uses, resulting in a much-loved community asset.
Image: Youth production team – International Women’s Day – produced by Fionna Allan through Music Victoria’s Regional Music Development Program and supported by Main FM April 2022. Credit Leonie Van Eyk
Check out the wonderful films produced by Leonie Van Eyk:
The LGPro Awards for Excellence celebrate the outstanding work being undertaken and delivered by individuals and teams working in Local Government in Victoria.
This Council lead initiative was produced in partnership with a wide range of local partners including The Village Festival, Main FM, Castlemaine Electronic Workshop, 3451 Culture and Mount Alexander Shire’s Youth Advisory Group and FReeZA Committee.
A three month pilot turned into a 16 month run for this outdoor venue, thanks to Creative Victoria’s Creative Neighbourhoods Partnership Program.
Image: Vicki Anderson, Gav Krasner, Lisa Mills and Sam Thomas – September 2021. Credit Leonie Van Eyk.
