The Creative Industry Space (CIS) is the working title for a project that, subject to future funding, will see the former Precinct Energy Plant (PEP) building on Halpin Way Dandenong redeveloped into a multi-level arts creation facility, with artist studios, rehearsal and performance spaces, and meeting areas.
The Precinct Energy Plant once provided an energy supply to Council’s and other properties in central Dandenong. It has been dormant for several years.
Community consultation was conducted in 2020 to gauge preferences for the vacant PEP building’s use. This resoundingly favoured the idea of a place for local creative practitioners to produce and refine their work, and as a hub for engagement and learning amongst creative practitioners and the broader community.
The PEP building sits directly alongside the Dandenong New Art Gallery, currently under construction. The vision of facilities for creation and presentation being adjacent to each other would form a unique hub for creative activity.
A business case prepared in 2022 highlighted the creative economy as a growing sector that contributes significantly to the local community.
Co-design Workshops
With funding from Creative Victoria, a series of four co-design workshops were held in October to December 2023. Workshop participants were selected for their experience and knowledge of creative practices in three realms – visual arts and design, performing and live arts, and digital and sonic arts.
Working with Council’s architects, co-design workshops investigated a range of configurations for the PEP building which could host creative practices in all three realms, including bespoke workspaces, rooms, studios, venue facilities and equipment.
The success of the co-design workshops was in the degree of consensus amongst workshop participants regarding where and how these physical and structural elements could be located and complement each other.
Once a draft concept design has been completed, this will be reviewed and finalised for costing.
Creative Industry Space - Ground Floor
As an interim measure, also with Creative Victoria funding, base-level infrastructure works are underway on the former PEP building’s ground level to make it suitable for a limited range of creative activities. Interim uses may include artist-in-residence programs and one-off creative projects.
These works will be completed in 2024.
PEP Project Outcomes
- enable our community to tell their own stories through the making of new art works
- create new cultural, creative, social and economic activity for our community
- be accessible, affordable and available for artists and the public
- be a place where our creative communities can come together and collaborate
- create a space that is bold, differentiated, destinational and precinct defining
- connect to new, cross-generational audiences
- provide a creative co-working space for the creative industries in Dandenong
- support arts education and new arts practice.
Additional Information
Creative Space Feasibility Report - 19.8MB
Creative Industry Space Community Engagement Report - 851.2KB
-
Existing building - external view from Halpin Way -
Existing building - internal view 3 levels -
Existing building - internal 1st floor
