Dandy Vibes Grant Program – Celebrating Community Outcomes

Council’s Placemaking and Revitalisation Team worked collaboratively across multiple departments to deliver the 2025-26 Dandy Vibes Grant Program.

This approach strengthened the impact of activations, enhancing safety, building community pride and creating meaningful opportunities for people to connect.

By combining expertise and resources, Council teams supported a diverse range of activations that enlivened public spaces, fostered cultural expression, supported local businesses and celebrated the city’s rich and diverse community.

The program attracted strong interest, supporting 23 activations across Palm Plaza, Pocket Park on Lonsdale Street, Harmony Square and Dandenong Park. Running from December 2025 to May 2026.

Highlights: Community, Creativity and Connection

The program delivered a wide range of standout activations that demonstrated the power of placemaking in action:

Fusion Theatre – Public Enemy Number Two transformed the city streets into a playful theatre, with mischievous seagull characters delighting crowds through comedy, interaction and inclusive sensory experiences. A vacant shopfront was reimagined into a creative “Seagull Base,” offering a behind-the-scenes dimension that deepened engagement.
Creative Sparks – Community Mural left a lasting legacy, with a vibrant artwork celebrating unity and identity through native flora and fauna. A community paint day fostered pride and belonging, enabling residents of all ages to contribute.
Our Beat brought energy and rhythm to public spaces, encouraging connection through music, dance and creative expression, while promoting messages of unity and inclusivity.
Ausdance – Dandy Dance activated Harmony Square with a series of inclusive workshops that brought generations together through movement, reinforcing Dandenong’s identity as a thriving arts hub.
Snuff Puppets – Beasts of Oz captivated audiences with large-scale roaming performances, transforming everyday streets into immersive, joyful experiences filled with wonder and spontaneity.
Kick and Connect (Southeast Multicultural Community Services) activated Dandenong Park with a full-day, multi-zone program that promoted wellbeing, intergenerational connection and cultural exchange through sport, games and storytelling.
Samar Art and Business Exhibition (Association of Hazaras in Victoria) turned Harmony Square into a vibrant cultural marketplace, celebrating Afghan arts, food and enterprise while creating economic opportunities and community connection.
Shrishti – Having a Dandy Time invited audiences to experience Dandenong through sound, blending live and recorded elements into an immersive, evolving performance within Palm Plaza.
With One Voice – Community Singalong fostered joy and connection through music, bringing people together in a welcoming, participatory celebration as part of a nationwide initiative.
Paperazzi Design Studio – Secret Mini World Garden Trail created a whimsical, family-friendly experience that encouraged exploration, creativity and shared discovery, with lasting benefits through sustainable material reuse.
Baran Club – Afghan Mother’s Day Celebration empowered local women and celebrated culture through fashion, food and performance, strengthening visibility, participation and cross-cultural understanding.
Little Projector Company – That Was Then / This Is Now delivered a vibrant program finale, transforming Central Dandenong into an open-air night-time destination. Projections, music and local student contributions brought colour, movement and renewed energy to the city after dark.

A Lasting Legacy

Collectively, the Dandy Vibes Grant Program demonstrated the power of collaborative placemaking to revitalise public spaces and strengthen community connections. It not only activated the city physically, but also socially and culturally, creating shared experiences, supporting local enterprise and reinforcing Central Dandenong as a dynamic, inclusive and creative destination.

One of the program’s enduring outcomes was the installation of interpretive and interactive signage alongside the Where Wings Meet community mural. Developed in response to community interest, the signage encourages visitors to explore the artwork’s symbolism, learn about local native flora and fauna, and connect with the stories behind its creation. By transforming the mural into an interactive learning experience, the project has created a lasting community asset that continues to foster engagement, discovery and a stronger sense of place long after the original activation concluded.

A Community-Led Future

A key success of the Dandy Vibes Grant Program was the way it empowered the community to take the lead in shaping and activating their public spaces. With Council providing support, guidance and resources, local artists, businesses, community groups and residents stepped forward to deliver initiatives that reflected their ideas, cultures and aspirations.

This shift towards community-led activation created a sense of shared ownership and pride, ensuring that the energy generated through Dandy Vibes extended beyond the program itself. It demonstrated that with the right support, the community is not only willing but capable of leading meaningful, engaging and sustainable activations.

As a result, Dandenong’s public spaces have evolved into places that are not only activated by Council, but increasingly animated by the people who use them, laying the foundation for an ongoing, community-driven approach to placemaking.

If you would like to know more information, please contact Council via email at placemaking@cgd.vic.gov.au.