Having supported 58 creative businesses across four successful years, The Refinery, an annual creative business incubator program, will be delivered by Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance, marking an important milestone in the growth of the arts sector on the Sunshine Coast.
“Taking responsibility for The Refinery will see SCCA (Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance) continue to play a pivotal role in enabling and strengthening the Sunshine Coast’s creative sector,“ SCCA president Liz Burcham said. “Importantly, this opportunity is also a platform to grow the SCCA business model and position it to play a more dynamic leadership role in Coast’s creative future.“
Sunshine Coast Council creative development team leader Megan Rowland and Maroochydore City Centre city activation project manager Bronwyn Adams were both instrumental in founding The Refinery and are enthusiastic about the future of the program under SCCAs leadership.
“The Refinery has made a significant contribution to invigorating the creative sector and revealing the immense creative talent here,“ Megan said. “As the peak industry body of our region, SCCA is best placed to continue building on the growth and success of the program. Sunshine Coast Council will be the Refinery 5.0’s major investment partner through the new Arts and Heritage Levy and will work closely with SCCA and The Refinery participants to continue to strengthen the creative ecology of our region.”
“The Refinery has played a key role in building and strengthening the creative sector and importantly supporting creatives to live and work on the Sunshine Coast,“ Bronwyn said.
Little House Seamstress founder Shaye Hardisty was a participant in the 2021 program and has since gone on to collaborate with Ketakii Jewson-Brown on the highly successful Sunshine Coat Project.
“From sewing on the kitchen table to where I am now, The Refinery really helped me challenge my idea of what a business can be. It’s taught me how to build my practice, that business can be fun and that it should serve your lifestyle and community,” Share said.
SCCA will run The Refinery in its proven format of a 10-week intensive program and this year’s learning curriculum has a renewed focus on personal growth and leadership, designed to build participants capacity to grow their practice, gain visibility, understand their value and the context in which they operate, identify new markets and be positioned to become the region’s next creative leaders.
The Refinery 5.0 will support a total of 20 artists, creative practitioners and entrepreneurs, with five identified First Nations positions, who will also participate in a dedicated First Nations led series, curated and facilitated by leading Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mentors and creatives.
Applications are open until Wednesday 1 March from creative practitioners across the country. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a one-day bootcamp on Saturday 25 March as part of the program selection process.
For more information visit, therefinerysunshinecoast.com/
