Watch this (art)space – Avalon Workshop construction underway

Shovels were at the ready at Avalon Golf Club this week as the refurbishment of the long-awaited Avalon Workshop began. Avalon Workshop is a new creative space for the whole community.

The lower level of the Golf Club is being transformed into a hireable artist studio, two multi-use teaching spaces and a communal kitchen, providing a low-key local space for Avalon and surrounding suburbs.

Several years ago, the northern end of the peninsula was identified as needing a new community cultural space.

This project saw extensive consultation with the community over an 18-month period and was enthusiastically embraced. In fact, Council received more than 650 submissions and over 30 participants took part in workshops and an Advisory Group to nut out the project.

In 2019, the Avalon Golf Club was supported by the local community as the best location of two options identified by Northern Beaches Council. An overwhelming eighty per cent of the community were very clear in supporting the location. 

Community feedback indicated a strong desire for a local creative hub, a place where people can meet and discuss their practice, share skills, develop skills and engage with like-minded people to increase motivation and inspiration.

Avalon Workshop will provide access to a range of creative workshops, build community connection and opportunity for the development of a variety of programs for youth audiences.

The multipurpose studios will provide a local artist a base for a 12-month period, while the other spaces will provide opportunities for other artists and creative teachers to conduct workshops.

Other local artists and artists groups will be able to hire the teaching spaces.  Opportunities for some small-scale exhibitions space will also be explored once the space is opened to the community.

The Avalon Workshop will be a welcome addition to the range of creative spaces operating throughout the Northern Beaches, including Manly Art Gallery and Museum and Creative Space at North Curl Curl. The arts are strongly supported by Northern Beaches Council.

The refurbishment of the art space is expected to be completed by the end of January 2021.