TWiSK #361

Two street art festivals
Climate policy forum quizzes MPs
Selling Kabul @ Red Stitch

Rate debate starts at Council – expect passion
Headline is 3.5% increase but with a once off rebate

Also at Council …
Who knows what Council has planned for The Vineyard?
More confusion about pop-up bike lanes
LGBTQIA+ population statistics ‘clarified’

Scroll down for Council stories, they are after the events!

Urban Canvas Mural Festival @ Carlisle Street locations
From Monday 17 April for 14 days

The Urban Canvas Mural Festival will see 30 artists create murals on some of Melbourne’s most graffiti prone areas over 14 days. St Kilda locals will be pleased that the festival hub will be located at 254 Carlisle Street Balaclava with workshops also at St Kilda Library.
The Mural Festival includes an art exhibition, art workshops, a youth mentoring program and an art apprenticeship program for 10 emerging street artists who are helping deliver some of the murals.
The $600,000 project is funded by the Victorian Government’s Community Support Fund to prevent graffiti vandalism through the installation of unique street art.
Urban Canvas

Free local workshop program starts Tuesday

Miniature Mural Design w/ Angharad Neal-Williams @ St Kilda Library
Four dates from Tuesday 18 July, 4 pm – 6 pm
Using bright colours and inspiration from our surroundings, participants in the workshop will create their own painted miniature mural. The workshop will focus on aspects of developing a mural including composition, colour and scale. Participants will complete the workshop with an A3 painting of a mural design you may want to scale up at home.
Suited to adult learners (18+) and all required materials will be supplied. Free
Bookings

Making Maps w/ LUCIANO @ Mural Festival Hub
Four dates from Tuesday 18 July, 6 pm – 7 pm
Join LUCIANO in a map-making workshop where you’ll record your experiences in a map of your own and learn about the experiences of others in collaborative making.
Suited to all ages and all required materials will be supplied. Free
Bookings
254 Carlisle St, Balaclava
Basics on How to Create a Stencil w/ 23rd Key @ St Kilda Library
Three dates from Thursday 20, 6.30 pm – 8 pm
Learn how to digitise and create a stencil file (optional) and the practical techniques of cutting stencils using a scalpel and cutting mat, and using your stencil with aerosol spray paint. Suited to older learners (16+) as scalpels are used and all required materials will be supplied. Free
Bookings
Make Small Things Big: Drawing Native Flora w/ Ana Armillas @ St Kilda Library
Four dates from Tuesday 18 July, 6 pm – 8 pm
Learn the techniques of drawing from a small botanical reference and then scaling it up to a larger size. Using local Australian flora as our subject matter, we will cover topics such as proportion and composition creating a final piece to take home.
Suited to adult learners (18+) and all required materials will be supplied. Free
Bookings

Graphzine: The Other Art w/ Fikaris @ Mural Festival Hub
Four dates from Tuesday 18 July, 4.30 pm – 6.30 pm
The Graphzine is a graphic book without text, often produced by hand with a photocopier, screen print or risograph. Join Fikaris – mural painter, comic artist and graphzine enthusiast in this two hour group session to make iconic graphic content for your own print ready work.
Suited to most ages (12+) and all required materials will be supplied. Free
Bookings
254 Carlisle St, Balaclava

Also on Carlisle … Autumn fest

The local traders have organised some fun for locals, including:
The Hoodoo Maydem @ Pause Bar
Thursday 20 April, 6 pm – 9 pm:
Footpath art with Ulla Taylor
Sunday 23 April 11 am – 3 pm
Ulla Taylor and team are decorating the footpath with autumn theme art. A fun mindful activity for all ages.
Free guided silent discos @ Local Tap House.
Saturday 22 & Saturday 29 April, 4 pm
Free guided silent discos. Meet at the local taphouse and end at si senor.
Plus roving street artists and buskers
Next weekend and also Saturday 29 April, 11 am – 1 pm
Carlisle Street traders also have specials throughout the month.

And beyond Carlisle Street …

Brave New Artists > Holiday Program @ Linden
Tuesday 18 April – Saturday 22 April, 10 am – 3 pm
For those aged 6 – 11 years.
Pull back the curtain of the art world, be an artist, create your own masterpiece, tryout being a curator, and install your exhibition. Everything is possible for Brave New Artists at Linden these school holidays. Our young participants will explore various kinds of art making and on the last day, the Brave New Artists will run an exhibition of their own artworks for family and friends! Free but booking essential
For more info and RSVP  |  Contact: events@lindenarts.org
Climate Policy – Effective or Greenwashing? @ Phoenix Theatre, Elwood
Tuesday 18 April, 6.30 pm – 8.00 pm
Organised by PECAN (Port Phillip Climate Action Network) and other local groups, with keynote speaker Polly Hemming, Director of the Climate and Energy Program at the Australia Institute.
Local Labor MHRs Josh Burns and Dr Michelle Ananda-Rajah will also address the topic while Teal MHR Zoe Daniel will provide a video.
There will be Q&A moderated by Dr. Kylie McIntosh, President of BCCAG (Bayside Climate Crisis Action Group). Free
Tix
Swordfighting: Lightsabers (5-12 yrs) @ Gasworks
Wednesday 19 April, 10:30 am – 11:30 am
Young padawans, your Jedi training starts here. Learn the art of fencing with traditional foils before applying the principles using lightsabers. Lightsabers provided. $25
Tix
Swordfighting: Fencing (5-12 yrs) @ Gasworks
Wednesday 19 April, 12 pm – 1 pm
En garde! Learn about the history of fencing and enjoy an active session of this strategic sport – a great workout for your body and your mind. $25
Tix
Richard Clayderman @ Palais
Wednesday 19 April and Thursday 20 April, 7.30 pm
“Romantic Piano Prince” $158
Tix
Bike repair workshop @ St Kilda lIbrary
Thursday 20 April, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Next Thursday night, the team from St Kilda Bike Kitchen are running a workshop on bike repair, so bring your bike down and let their expert staff help you to get you and your bike back in top condition. Free
St Kilda Library Community Room

Isabel Rumble @ George Lane
Thursday 20 April, 7 pm – 11 pm
“Warm and clear vocals accompanied by acoustic guitar invokes artists of the folk genre, like Laura Marling and Lisa Hannigan.”
Info
1 George Lane
Access is limited

The Australian Blondie Show @ Memo
Friday 21 April, 7 pm
“The Australian Blondie Show is as close as you’ll get to the real thing … the sound, look and quality musicianship, all capture the essence that is Blondie.” $50/$40/$30
Tix 

Ramble Tamble’s homage to CCR @ George Lane
Friday 21 April, 7:00 pm – 11:30 pm
A homage to Creedence Clearwater Revival with the band playing songs from all seven studio albums.
Info
Street Art Exhibition @ The Rus Kitchin Studio
Saturday 22 April – Sunday 30 April, 11 am – 4 pm
Opening: Friday 21 April, 6.30pm – 10pm
The exhibition showcases 17 artists exhibiting (both local and international) with original artwork, prints and limited merch for sale.
@mikestretchpresents and @hellosunshine_events.
Reclaim the Void – Community Weaving Day @ Space2b
Saturday 22 April, 10.30 AM – 3.00 PM
Reclaim the Void is a bold cross-cultural project with a vision to ‘seal’ a mining pit in the northern Goldfields of WA, with a huge dot artwork, made up of thousands of handmade circular rag-rugs woven from discarded fabric. Facilitated by Fiona from @LifeWalker
There is a small $20 charge which comprises: $10 to cover postage & fees and $10 donation to Space2b for use of their lovely space.
Get involved

Y(our) Fest @ Sol Green Community Centre
Saturday 22 April, 11 AM – 5 PM
A free music and arts festival designed by kids for everyone!
Tix 
Cnr Montague St &, Coventry St, South Melbourne
Selling Kabul @ Red Stitch
Previews from Saturday 22 April, Season Wednesday 26 April – Sunday 21 May
Australian Premier of a Pulitzer nominated drama that powerfully portrays the humanity and courage of one Afghan family, and asks ‘what would you do to save another person’s life?’ Brett Cousins directs this work by New Yorker Sylvia Khoury with a ,ocal cast including Claudia Greenstone, Khisraw Jones-Shukoor, Nicole Nabout and Farhad Zaiwala.
Tix
Opposite the Astor Theatre
Access is limited – contact box office

Distant Shores: Meet the Artists @ Carlisle Street Art Space
Saturday 22 April, 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Distant Shores combines portrait photography, family photos and written testimony to tell the story of cultural heritage through the lens of the migrant experience.
Join participants Abouk Giir, Anahita Diba, Humaira Fayazi, Rahila Zeeshan and Tadros Hanna in conversation with guest curator Anna Monea as they discuss their artworks and influences.
Free but bookings are necessary 
99A Carlisle Street, St Kilda
Brewster Brothers: Electric. Playing The Angels rarities @ Memo
Saturday 22 April, 7 pm
Launching a new single – ‘Night Attack #23’- after playing since 1974 and 13 classic albums, the hardest part of any gig is compiling a set list. $45
Tix

Kumarsutra Greatest Hits @ National
Saturday 22 April, 8 pm
Kumar is hailed as one of South East Asia’s most iconic and respected performing artists and a brilliant stand-up comedian.
Position yourself for laughs. $80+
Tix 
Street Art Gathering @ Fitzroy Street
Sunday 23 April, 11 am – 5 pm
Produced by Mike Stretch, the Art Gathering is like a walking tour with a map available so you can hop from spot to spot and watch the artists in action, enjoy food and beverage specials/recommendations along the way, plus a couple of music acts dotted along the way. Artists include Manda Lane, Tinky, VKM, n2o, Tayla Broekman, Candela Colors, Bronik, Les Stanley
Info at @mikestretchpresents and @hellosunshine_events

Terry Serio @ George Lane
Sunday 23 April, 4 pm – 8 pm
Terry Serio’s songs have been described variously as ‘gorgeous and gritty, ‘power poetry’ and ‘love at the end of a line’ Supported by Bernadette Novembre
Info

Don’t miss

The Women’s Show #18 @ Vivienne Anderson Gallery
Until Saturday 22 April
vivienandersongallery.com
284–290 St Kilda Road
Tuesday to Friday 1 1am — 5 pm, Saturday 12 pm — 4 pm

Skyline Ferris Wheel @ Catani Cardens
Ends Sunday 30 April, 12 pm to 10.30 pm
Don’t miss your chance to ride the wheel before it rolls on.
Info
Circus Royale @ Triangle
Until Sunday 30 April, various times
The Circus will leave St Kilda at the end of the month.
Tix
Reader circus review
“I live in Elwood and I am a member of the Elwood community choir that put the Elwood Singing Walking together. Wanted to tell you about Circus Royale @ St Kilda triangle. It’s awesome!. I took my nephew and grandnephew and we had a blast. It looks ordinary on arrival but the acts were all skilful and polished. Even the magic act!”
Mark J

Coming soon

Indonesian Dinner ~ Celebrating Eid
Thurs 27th April, from 6.30pm
Eid is a very important holiday in the Islamic calendar. Celebrated by Muslims worldwide to mark the end of Ramadan. What better way to join in the celebrations and learn more about this fascinating event than to join a special Eid ‘Dinner with Friends’?
$50 per head
Book My Dinner 

Community Music Project @ St Kilda Botanical Gardens
Workshops: Thursday 27 April, 1 pm – 3 pm, Sunday 30 April, 11 am – 1 pm,
“Let’s create a song about the gardens!”
The Friends of St Kilda Botanical Gardens invite you to help write the song by attending one of two workshops at the Gardens with local song-writers Jeannie Marsh and Matthew Lovering.
Contribute your ideas about the Gardens to inspire Jeannie and Matthew to go home and create a song based on your ideas.
The song will be premiered by Elwood Community Choir at a public event in the Gardens in May.
Register for a workshop by emailing the.convenor@foskbg.org.au by 23 April
Or register at your workshop, 30 minutes prior to the event.
Enquiries the.convenor@foskbg.org.au
The Queer Gaze @ Victorian Pride Centre
From Saturday 28 April
Curated by Lisa Salmon, The Queer Gaze is the latest exhibition at the Pride Centre. It features images from iconic lesbian magazine Wicked Women which launched in 1988 and disrupted the rigid political climate that dominated the dyke scene at the time. Many of these images are now housed in the Australian Queer Archives at the Victorian Pride Centre and have not been seen publicly for decades.
79 – 81 Fitzroy Street, St Kilda
Pic: Maude Davey – Ms Wicked 1991 reading WW magazine, 1991. Photo by Jamie Dunbar
Introduction to Chekhov @ Melbourne Actors Guild
From 6 May
Learn the fundamentals of the Michael Chekhov Technique with Transformational acting expert Suzie J. Jarmain. Suitable for actors with experience. $210
Booking and info
137A Acland Street
Urban Wine Walk 2023 @ St Kilda
Saturday 13 May
Urban Wine Walk is a self-guided wine-tasting experience across some of St Kilda favourite drinking holes, including:
Captain Baxter Ft. Tokar Estate (VIC)
Hotel Esplanade Ft. Rob Dolan Wines (VIC)
Korr Jee Chicken Ft. Gonzo Vino (VIC)
Little Prince Wine Ft. Mitchelton (VIC)
Lona Ft. Black & Ginger Wines (VIC)
LOTI Ft. Tillie.J Wines (VIC)
Republica Ft. Loverman Wine (SA)
$75.00 plus Booking Fee
www.urbanwinewalk.com.au
Each ticket includes three complimentary tastings per producer, a $10 voucher to put towards lunch at your starting venue, plus a cool $25 voucher to use when ordering a six pack of wine from one of the winemakers which of course is delivered to your door post event.

Bringing St Kilda history to the screen

From Marianne Latham, local documentary producer.
I’m currently making a documentary called The Posh and the Riff Raff telling the story of St Kilda since the 1800s. Once the most prestigious address in the country, St Kilda by the 1970s, was officially the most destitute. What happened is a fascinating, cautionary tale I hope to show to both a local and broader television audience.
Supported by the St Kilda Historical Society, the funding received from the City of Port Phillip Creative Development for archival footage, is invaluable in making this project happen.
Watch a short trailer

Rate debate starts at Council – expect passion

Papers dropped at 5 pm on Friday
Next Wednesday’s Council meeting will mark the start of community debate and discussion about rates – and strap yourself in for a wild ride.
Council released its plans for rates on Friday at 5 pm, including this draft for public consultation. 
Budget of giveth and taketh with rate rises then rebates, cutbacks and tweaks
The headline is a rate increase to the maximum allowed by the government (3.5%) but sweetened by a once-off rebate of the equivalent amount.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Culture cuts stay, extra for Christmas decorations
Every budget has winners and losers, it’s the nature of the beast. And here are a few of the gives and takes:
> Fees and charges generally increasing 3.75 per cent
> An annual budget allocation of $10,000 for Christmas decoration and lights at St Kilda Town Hall.
> One-off $40,000 for both temporary and permanent activations at Dundas Place Reserve.
> Increasing the Council-funded pensioner rates rebate by 5 per cent to $210 in 2023/24
> An extension of the funding agreement for Launch Housing to employ an assertive outreach service for rough sleepers for a further two years at $110,000 per annum.
> A one-off $40,000 funding for greater food support within the municipality
> $87k reduction to the Cultural Development Fund – Projects stream (funding for individual artistic/creative projects)
Next year’s rate debate will start at the higher rate
There is a sting in the tail for ratepayers. The rebate is a once off and future rates rises will start from the additional 3.5% point.
Expect queues at the microphone
Both RoPP and PPP are rallying supporters to attend the meeting.
This could be more entertaining than Circus Royal and Skyline Ferris Wheel combined – but you can bet it wont be cheaper.

Heard it on the grapevine …

Readers may have been as surprised as TWiSK to discover that Council is making moves to revoke the lease of The Vineyard.
Indeed, Council was in VCAT earlier this month seeking take-over access, which was deferred by VCAT until a later date.
Council says the current tenants have failed to live up to promises to upgrade the venue. But the tenants say they have spent years developing plans at their expense, only to be thwarted by Council at every turn.
Upgrade plans were published in 2019
The Vineyard points to their 2019 plans that remain on the Council Have Your Say Website as evidence of their commitment to upgrading the venue.
But here’s the kicker, Council appears to have rejected those plans and not informed the community.
The Council website instead has this Orwellian statement:
“This project has not been prioritised since the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting the community in March. Officers will engage the new Council on this project and a further update will be provided after that.”
Council did inform the tenants in October 22 they were seeking surrender of the lease, which prompted the matter moving to VCAT.
Meanwhile Council was moving with uncharacteristic speed with plans of it’s own …
Fastest toilet construction on record
Included in the 2019 Vineyard plans were public toilets to replace the notorious silver tardus in Shakespeare Grove. As readers know, building toilets in St Kilda can take decades (eg Fitzroy Street), but Council moved at record pace to install upgraded modular toilets adjacent to The Vineyard.
Now that toilet is being used as part of the justification for abandoning the 2019 plans.
Brothers bewildered
The Vineyard is run by bothers Johnny and Alex Iodice. TWiSK spoke to Johnny after reading the Herald Sun story about the VCAT hearing.
“We have always wanted to upgrade as required by our lease. We started the whole discussion, wanting new kitchen, toilets and amenities.
“We have worked extensively to co-design an upgraded restaurant with Council. Those were the final plans that went out for public consultation in 2019. And then COVID struck.
“Since then beginning, for 10-years, our efforts to progress the upgrade has been thwarted by council processes, the goal posts keep shifting, it’s been incredibly frustrating.
“And now they want us to surrender our lease,” he said.
Council wears two hats
Council has two roles regarding The Vineyard.
One as landlord on behalf of The Crown, another as planning authority.
This can be tricky especially for tenants as they need to deal with a two-headed beast.
First, they must get agreement from the Council as landlord, then the Council swaps hats and becomes the planning authority and an entirely different process starts from scratch, commonly for years.
And of course, like other Council projects such as the Fitzroy Street toilets and the Palais forecourt, proposed works are often face lengthy delays after discovery of unexpected factors like drains – managed by other authorities.
Such a drain was discovered near The Vineyard and that threw a spanner in the works.
But according to The Vineyard, but the parties got together in good faith to find an array of solutions around that issue. Until the final concept plan was agreed to in 2019
Public in the dark
While Council made a genuine and extensive effort to communicate the plans for The Vineyard upgrade 2019, there is no evidence of any attempt to communicate the apparent decision to abandon the upgrade.
TWiSK asked Council to comment on Thursday and no reply was received by deadline
TWiSK would be delighted to publish a response, especially to these questions:
Was a decision made to abandon the 2019 plans and when was it made? Who made this decision and how was it communicated to the tenants and the community?
What responsibility does Council take for the lack of progress on this Crown asset?
And here’s a bigger question (which deserves a considered response), are there any other major projects that have been through extensive Have Your Say engagement but subsequently abandoned, significantly changed or delayed without communication back to the public?
In the meantime, TWiSK invites readers to suggest projects that deserve scrutiny.
Our email box is always open – discretion assured

Most – but not all – pop-up bike lanes will pop-off

State government will remove most of the controversial 38 kilometres of pop-up bike lanes in Port Phillip after Council requested the change in response to community concerns.
But one of the most controversial sites will be “monitored in place.”
DOTP (Department of Transport and Planning) informed Council of their revised plans on 6 April but news of the decision was slow to percolate out from town hall because of ambiguity in the government advice.
Media reports overstated the change
While media reports suggested that all the new bike lanes would go, the truth is that the DOTP will remove most, but not all.
The DOTP website says the Westbury Street bike lanes will be “monitored in place” while alternative design options are explored.
In Marine Parade at Dickens Street and Glen Huntly Road, only some of the bollards will be removed.
And across Port Phillip, the location of on road speed cushions “will be reviewed” (rather than removed).
Source 
Mayor Heather Cunsolo offered a measured response
“Council is seeking further clarification [from DOTP) regarding plans for permanent pop-up bike lane infrastructure on Marine Parade, a state-managed road, as we want to ensure the community is properly engaged on this development.”
“We acknowledge and thank the DTP for its efforts to date in working collaboratively with Council to implement our resolutions, which seek to address community concerns regarding pop-up bike lane infrastructure in our City.”
Full statement 

DOTP plans in detail

Bridge Street and Williamstown Road intersection
Going soon
Bridge Street between Evans Street and Princes Street
Going soon but investigating alternative designs
Bridge Street and Bay Street intersection
Going soon
Lyons Street between Bridge Street and Esplanade West
Removing concrete blocks and bollards.
Nelson Road
Going soon
Armstrong Street
Going soon
Marine Parade at Dickens Street and Glen Huntly Road
Removing some of the bollards and other temporary infrastructure
Speed cushions
Working with the City of Port Phillip to review the location of speed cushions and communicate any changes to the community.
Westbury Street
DOTP will continue to monitor in place while exploring alternative design options
Source 

LGBTQIA+ population statistics ‘clarified’ by Council CEO

Council’s draft LGBTQIA+ includes the assertion that over one-in-four adult residents of Port Phillip identify as LGBTQIA+.
TWiSK asked how this figure was reached and this prompted a ‘clarification’ from Council CEO Chris Carroll.
“The umbrella term ‘LGBTQIA+’ is constantly evolving and encompasses many different sub-sections of our community. In arriving at the estimate of 26% therefore, the social researcher tried to consider a wide range of studies and data sources.
“The social researcher has clarified that their finding actually incorporates anybody in the Port Phillip community who either identifies as LGBTIQA+ or has had a same sex attraction or experience at some point in their life.
“We will clarify this in the final report which will be presented to Councillors for endorsement.
“Precise data relating to the presence of LGBTIQA+ communities in Port Phillip is limited by the information collected through the national Census of Population and Housing undertaken every five years and we will be advocating for this to change in time for the 2026 Census.
“Regardless of the above, Port Phillip is extremely proud to house one of Australia’s largest LGBTIQA+ communities as well as their many allies. We are committed to making Port Phillip an even more inclusive place through this important action plan and encourage all of our community to participate in the consultation.”

Greg Day
Happy to chat anytime 0418 345 829
Content suggestions and community questions are always welcome.
gday@archives.gdaystkilda.com.au
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