Australia’s largest temporary space activation has been given a second lease of life with a donated building allowing the popular project to continue and evolve.
The collective space activation MANY 6160, which transformed the old Fremantle Myer building into a thriving retail and creative hub, will be reborn as MANY 2.0 this Saturday 8 April at its new Adelaide Street premises in Fremantle.
Capturing the same energy and creativity as its predecessor, MANY 2.0 will feature an independently run art gallery, ten eclectic retailers, a hairdresser and a café on approximately 1,200sqm of floor space.
MANY Project Manager Kate Hulett said the next incarnation of the space activation retains the same concept but with a completely new look and feel.
“MANY 2.0 is unique in its scale, its varied offering to clients and its short-term nature. It’s more than a pop-up store and it’s different from a market – it’s a unique shopping destination as well as a great place for people to ‘hang-out’ and spend time,” Ms Hulett said.
A distinguishing feature of the new activation is a free-standing art gallery at the centre of the space titled Smart Casual. It will be curated and run by sessional academic Carla Adams, with a new show presented each month.
“We’re very excited about Smart Casual – it will showcase the incredible talent of Western Australia’s up-and-coming artists and give visitors the chance to see some incredible local art they may not normally come across,” she said.
In addition to original art, the project will present handmade products, vintage furniture and internationally-sourced and hard-to-find items, with a cafe and hair salon also on site.
Miss Hulett said MANY2.0 has been carefully designed to be inclusive for all members of the community with weekdays expected to attract local office workers and parents with children, and weekends attracting national and international visitors, families and Fremantle locals.
“This is a space to browse and lose time: there’s room for kids to play, table tennis for families, plenty of seating plus an outdoor space. The City of Fremantle’s outdoor reading room is there to enjoy and of course the art gallery. The pop-up truly offers something for everyone in an inspiring retail space,” Ms Hulett said.
The Adelaide Street building, which was originally a Coles supermarket and then a Spotlight store, sat vacant for a number of years before Yolk Property Group secured it and donated it to MANY.
Yolk Property Group Director Pete Adams said projects like MANY 2.0 help activate forgotten spaces and foster creative talent.
“Donating a vacant building for a temporary activation, while offering an opportunity to artists and small businesses, also results in a number of benefits to the wider community such as reduced crime from break-ins, decreased vandalism and a decline in anti-social behaviour with the creation of a busier, activated street- scape,” Mr Adams said.
“We’re delighted to be able to offer a new home to MANY and are looking forward to seeing the evolution of this unique project at its new premises,” he said.
The temporary space activation is expected to run between 6 and 12 months and is open Thursday to Sunday 10AM to 5PM. MANY2.0 is supported by Yolk Property Group, the City of Fremantle and Spacemarket.
