Alice Springs Town Council has partnered with Renew Australia, a national social enterprise that specialises in unlocking vacant spaces for creative use, to explore the potential for an activation project in the CBD.
Renew will undertake a series of targeted stakeholder interviews and on-site assessments to understand local appetite, capacity, and readiness for a future activation project. This process will identify key opportunities, barriers to participation, and the level of interest from property owners, local traders, and community partners.
Renew Australia’s model connects property owners and agents with creative enterprises to activate empty shops and spaces through rent-free or low-cost 30-day rolling licences. These agreements allow local creative entrepreneurs to test ideas in real-world settings without the burden of long leases or high overheads.
By unlocking spaces for community-led activity, the project helps create welcoming, active places where people can gather and share creative experiences. It builds confidence, strengthens local networks, and supports local ideas, while bringing new energy and life to streets that are currently underutilised.
If you are a property owner interested in participating, or a community member with questions about the scoping study, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Renew Australia’s project lead via email – alice@renewaustralia.org.
This study is funded by Alice Springs Town Council.
