Welcome to our creative city

Ballarat is working to become the city of the sustainable practitioner, and we’re supporting all forms of artist, maker, creative and producer. Whether you are seeking to develop a fine arts practice and devote yourself to being a professional practising artist, or wanting to grow your creative business, the City of Ballarat wants to see you succeed.

Here you’ll be able to find opportunities for makers, creatives and artists alike. We’re working to create a clearinghouse of opportunities - expressions of interest, open jobs and other briefs - and support networks you can call on.

You can also find out what kind of happenings are going on around town, perfect for the local creative. We profile our growing community of artists, makers, performers and producers, building a better city for all.

Ballarat’s Heart of Creativity

Over the last two years, the City of Ballarat has been focused on the development of it’s Creative City Strategy. This strategy is one that embraces the energies of makers, crafters, artists, innovators, entrepreneurs and problem solvers, linking them closer to the engine room of the city’s heart.

We know that a creative city is one that can wear the changes in economic forces, delivers new ideas, drives businesses to grow and delivers greater community cohesion and wellbeing. The creative sector in Ballarat is crucial to our prosperity, helping create better people and better places to live and work. It is creative thinking that helps all sectors to blossom, and underpins a healthier, happier and wealthier city. The City of Ballarat is dedicated to embedding creativity within its very fabric.

Ballarat has established two guiding documents - the Creative City Strategy and the Creative City Masterplan. These documents are being responded to through the creation of implementation plans that tie directly into the work of the creative city. This site has been established to help track the implementation of the Creative City Strategy, and to assist in support creative people, businesses and industry to become economically and socially sustainable.

1 dec 2019 - fringe benefits festival celebrates its inaugural year

Live music and local performers experienced a positive jolt, with the inaugural Fringe Benefits musical smorgasbord taking over the city for 12 hours on the 29 November. With more than 50 performers and 35 venues taking part, it was almost impossible to get around to see all of the activities. Ballarat put on its best cold late Spring weather, but even this didn’t deter the die-hard music fans.

12 Sept 2019 - creative city strategy shortlisted for award

The City of Ballarat’s Creative City Strategy and Masterplan has been shortlisted in the Economic Development Australia awards for 2019 in the category of strategic thinking. We’re thrilled to note that the wider Australian community is recognising the energies and efforts of our city to put arts and culture at the heart of the operations of our town.

8 sept 2019 - unveiling of the george treloar sculpture

The first sculpture for Sturt Street Gardens that has been crafted by a female sculptor, the George Treloar Memorial was unveiled on the 8th September 2019, corner of Errard and Sturt Streets. The ceremony was followed by food and celebrations in the city’s Civic Hall. The story of George Devine Treloar was covered in The Age.

Defining the creative sector

Our Creative City Strategy

Our Creative City Masterplan