City of Sydney

More than 120 artworks have been sold through Sydney’s first interest-free artwork loan program in its first six months of operation.

The City of Sydney sponsored initiative, Art Money, has issued over 120 interest free loans to art lovers since the scheme began. It has grown from being a Sydney-based initiative to now being offered in 100 galleries across Australia.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore said the City provided one-off seed funding to help launch the program, as a means of helping more people purchase art for their homes, and to support local galleries and artists.

Major events held during the 2014/15 financial year injected an estimated $84 million into Geelong’s economy.

A total of 29 major events were held in the Geelong region from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 and included new events such as the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race, Australian Under 16 Basketball Championships and the I14 World Sailing Championships.

More than 800 experts in planning, urban design and commercial property will come together at the City of Sydney-sponsored Green Cities conference to discuss sustainable building initiatives.

The annual conference, run by the Property Council of Australia and the Green Building Council of Australia, will attract some of the most innovative and influential specialists in the field, from 22–24 March, in Sydney.


Affordable lifeline for emerging artists

Six low-cost live/work artist studios are up for grabs next year thanks to a popular City of Sydney initiative.

The one-bedroom apartments in William Street, Darlinghurst are part of the City’s Creative Spaces program, which provides subsidised accommodation and workspaces for creative professionals in central Sydney.

Previous occupants include visual artists and curators, fashion and production designers and filmmakers.

“Sydney’s artists struggle to find suitable affordable spaces in the centre of town, so the City’s William Street live/work studios are a practical way we can support our vital creative sector,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.