Collingwood Yards officially opens to the public on Saturday 13 March – starting with an Open Day and warm welcome extended to all to come and experience the excitement of Melbourne’s new contemporary arts precinct.

Collingwood Yards is hosting a site-wide day of festivities inviting the community into Collingwood Yards, their new space to enjoy. It is a celebration at grand scale – testament not only of the realisation of the vision for this long-disused heritage site, but of the resilience of its tenants, still viable and creating in 2021.

As Founding Chair Daniel Besen says: “This is a thrilling moment, years in the making, and not without its challenges. Collingwood Yards is already home to an exciting, diverse, resourceful and resilient creative community.”

Open Day highlights include:

• Youth music organisation and record label The Push showcasing Melbourne’s emerging musical talents at the famous Keith Haring mural (now restored to its former glory) on Johnston Street
• Live music performances curated by Collingwood Yards tenants who include Bad Apples Music (led by Adam Briggs), Play On, Collingwood Neighbourhood House and Hope Street Radio
• DJs from future tenants PBS106.7FM (including crowd favourite Miss Goldie) continuing into the evening as site-specific projection art from the Centre for Projection Art lights up the night sky
• Open studios and galleries, with tenant-designed activities and attractions providing opportunities to interact with artists and behind-the-scenes glimpses of their creative processes
• Screenings, video projections, art installations and public workshops providing visitors with opportunities to unleash their inner creative
• From 12 noon, the city’s newest art and design market begins – with a floral backdrop curated by resident florist and stylist XXFlos, featuring new work by tenants such as cult-status ceramicist Tantri Mustika, and displaying the precinct’s fashion credentials with onsite designers including The Social Studio, Gammin Threads and Bananalands

On the site of the old Collingwood TAFE and taking up almost an entire city block, Collingwood Yards lay dormant for close to a decade before its transformation. After two years of construction works, Collingwood Yards officially begins its life as a major contemporary arts incubator – a place where community and creativity meet, and emerging culture begins.

To see the full tenant directory visit: https://collingwoodyards.org/directory/

As Collingwood Yards’ Daniel Besen concludes: “Collingwood Yards is colourful, youthful and diverse. It will become a vital part of the local community and Melbourne’s creative life for generations to come.”

All mandated Covid-safe protocols will be in place on Open Day, including density quotients. The site can accommodate 1200+ at any one time.