New Creative Studio unlocks Townsville makers’ potential
Date published: 21 May 2021
Aitkenvale CityLibrary is attracting filmmakers, podcasters, recording musicians and artists with its new free Creative Studio, which provides access to state-of-the-art equipment to bring creativity to life.
Creatives who want to develop their digital skills, make products and collaborate with other creators can now make it all happen.
The studios are a recent addition to the Aitkenvale Library and have been designed to help local makers pursue their creative dreams.
Community and Cultural Development Committee chairperson Ann-Maree Greaney said there was considerable interest from early adopters so far.
“We invited 15 people from diverse backgrounds to be early adopters late last year, and there has been strong interest and organic growth in the number of people using the space,” Cr Greaney said.
“These early adopters have been making podcasts and films, recording music, creating 3D objects and collaborating over new ideas for local businesses.
“It’s very exciting to see people from different walks of life come together to not only enjoy this new creative space but to work together on new ideas.”
Local filmmaker Caleb Cameron said he started using the space almost a year ago while editing TEDxTownsville content.
“This was an amazing project to work on in the space, as it really tested out the collaborative and technical aspects of the space, especially with the computer never being used for such heavy editing time before,” Mr Cameron said.
“Honestly, that first editing session in the room sold me on the space ever since, seeing the opportunities that such a room offered and at a level of professionalism and studio-grade quality, which I would never have expected from a free Townsville City Council resource, was inspiring.
“The Creative Studio is a very important thing for Townsville creatives. It gives us the resources to really start validating our passions, to hone our skills, and really flesh out our unique voice and style.
“I know that room really has given me a powerful resource when it comes to my creative business, from a unique and eye-catching brainstorming room, to a well-equipped recording studio for narration and film Foley. The room really has expanded what is possible for me creatively.”
Cr Greaney said there was now space to invite more users to the Creative Studio.
“Our CityLibraries team is working on developing a regular induction schedule and mentor system, which will help support users who are new to the Creative Studio,” she said.
“The vision is to help open the studios up to a large number of local demographics, including young people, seniors, parents and small business owners.
“So far we have had 58 early adopters, with an almost equal split between men and women using the space. Our largest age group is 16 to 25 years old, while our next largest is people from 26 to 50 years old.
“At this stage, we’d like to invite anyone who is interested in joining our early adopters in the creative studios to get in touch with the library for induction.”
To contact CityLibraries Aitkenvale, call 4727 8310.
