Sydney - Middle East Times Int’l: Artists across Western Sydney now have a dedicated space to create and collaborate in Granville with a new Parramatta Artists Studios (PAS) site officially open.

The largest council-led artist studio initiative in Sydney, PAS has supported hundreds of artists to hone their craft and create contemporary art since its opening in 2006. 

The City’s newest creative hub offers studios for 12 artists for a 12-month residency in the heart of Greater Sydney.

The studios also include a dedicated space for the First Nations community to collaborate, a space for regional, interstate and international creators to use, and event spaces for special workshops, community programs and talks. 

City of Parramatta Lord Mayor Cr Pierre Esber said the investment in Parramatta Artists Studios reflected Council’s commitment to making the City a major arts and cultural precinct.

 “We want Parramatta to be a magnet for creatives and Parramatta Artists Studios is a key part of that, providing a space to support artists at all stages of their career to develop new works and forge new connections across the creative community,” Cr Esber said. 

“There is nothing of this scale run by a local council anywhere else in Sydney – I’m in awe at the work that has been produced by PAS in the past and can’t wait to see what the future brings.

“The studios are now home to 12 new artists who have a space of their own for 12 months and I look forward to seeing the works they produce.”

The Granville venue, which joins Council’s Parramatta Artists Studios in Rydalmere, offers one-year studio tenancies for new artists with callouts for interested artists made annually.  

This project has been jointly funded by the NSW Government and City of Parramatta with Council contributing $250,000. 

Learn more about Parramatta Artists Studios at Granville and Rydalmere here