PROJECT: The Rocks Village Bizarre
DATE: 2009 – 2016
LOCATION: The Rocks, NSW
CLIENT: Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority (SHFA)
The Rocks Village Bizarre was a weekly series of intimate, quirky arts events at night in The Rocks.
The multi-year program was initiated in response to waning customer satisfaction attendance at an evening music + market activation at The Rocks. Additionally, the precinct faced stigma as a place for excessive drinking, antisocial behaviour and a precarious night-time economy.
The Rocks Bizarre transformed alleyways, parks, building foyers and empty tenancies through intimate and quirky arts programming that upheld The Rocks’ brand pillars – curious, intimate and savouring. This included secret pop-up bars in old terrace buildings; massive inflatable sculptures in tiny lanes; and the transformation of window shopfronts by artists.
The event recorded average attendance of 17,000 visitors every Friday evening and an uptick in visitor satisfaction. It stimulated the night-time economy by encourage longer visitation, spend and extended shopping hours.
// Header: Nick Meenahan, The Irascible Doctor Mackellar