The Station Creative Workspace

A regional Creative Capital Infrastructure project supported by Create NSW and other partners.

Project at a glance

The Station Creative Workspace transforms the historic Ambulance Station in Wagga Wagga into a state-of-the-art contemporary facility, that facilitates events, exhibitions, and creative collaboration under the experienced management of Eastern Riverina Arts.

The Station is the facility that bridges the gap between a growing regional arts ecosystem and the professional cultural facilities that presently work in Wagga. The Station offers a workshop and gallery space, meeting room and digital studio, creative office suites and affordable artist studios on one site. These new spaces unlock the capacities of local visual and performing artists, support the growth of creative companies, and nurture the development of professional, tourable bodies of work by local creators.

Alongside fit out works to make the building operational, Eastern Riverina Arts commissioned leading architecture firm Dunn Hillam to develop a heritage Masterplan for the station, to honour the site’s heritage while maximising its capacity to deliver as a community facility for the people of Wagga Wagga into the future.

Special features

The historic Ambulance Station in Wagga Wagga has been revitalised into a hub for creativity and community in the Riverina.

The Station Creative Workspace fit out included:

• Transforming the ambulance bays into The Ambo Gallery, a versatile and flexible exhibition and event space, with the installation of a gallery hanging system, track lighting, trestles and stacking chairs, a lectern, a PA system, a catering fridge, glassware, and a toolbox for installations.
• Furnishing light, airy, and affordable studio spaces available for use by emerging and professional artists, writers, and makers.
• Equipping a digitally-connected hybrid meeting studio to facilitate webcasting, hybrid meetings, podcasting, and product photography through the installation of specialist backdrops, lighting equipment, conferencing equipment, and furniture.
• Furnishing secure, private offices to support creatives in taking the first leap from their kitchen tables towards forming new creative companies.
• Developing portable staging, lighting, event PA, seating, and tables to support markets, events, and performances in the covered outdoor area, with stunning views of a key city park.
• Maximising the hub’s common spaces to support collaboration, enhancing the capabilities of local creatives. This includes chairs, storage, common area couches, tables, a coffee station, common crockery and cutlery, and cleaning supplies.
• Preparing a detailed Heritage Masterplan for the site that outlines accessibility and functional site improvements, sympathetic to the building’s history and optimised to its future as a community facility. This includes an elevator, other accessibility improvements, a solar system, landscaping, and the fit-out of a potential rooftop event space.
• Installing energy-efficient lighting upgrades to replace fluorescent battens, wireless access points, a firewall and switch, web-connected security locks, a room booking system, internal wayfinding, and general signage.

Who it is for

Developed in response to the needs of local artists, community groups and creative businesses, The Station is a vibrant hub and launchpad for artists, companies and creative entrepreneurs in the Riverina to experiment, collaborate and showcase new work.

With a focus on the development of professional creative work and robust business development, the Station will become a lighthouse institution, attracting creatives, fostering new developments and facilitating state-based institutions to effectively deliver programming and partnerships that service the Riverina region.

The Station directly addresses the community’s need for accessible and flexible spaces, meeting rooms, activity spaces, creative offices and artist studios available for individual practice.

Who is involved

The fitout of the Station Creative Workspace was led by Eastern Riverina Arts.

Milestones

Opened in 2023

Find out more

Learn more about The Station including hiring/booking spaces and how to get involved.

Visit The Station