Income Generation Our programs create opportunities for artist to generate income from their craft to assist in the sustainability of their practice, enabling creative risk-taking in the pursuit of contemporary culture for the local community. Expand "Brand X creates an inclusive community within the East Sydney Arts precinct that has helped APY Gallery to build and nurture relationships with local arts and marketing stake holders including the City of Sydney. We have been thrilled to be partnering with Brand X and hope to continue to build on this relationship. APY Gallery will be continuing to work with Brand X in 2019 to create a thriving arts culture and economy in the East Sydney region." APY Art Centre Collective "If we are to seriously talk about supporting diversity within the arts, authentically, then money and infrastructural support needs to be invested in platforms, the like of which Brand X are brilliant at. Brand X, TWT studios and ESCAC are vital infusions to an otherwise fragmented and support-starved Sydney contemporary performance and dance sector. Their programs are vital. They embrace experimentation and cross-artform discussion. They are enabling artists at a time when other circumstances have seriously disabled us. They offer hope and a better sense of purpose and wellbeing." Dean Walsh (Choreographer/Performer) "The East Sydney Community and Arts Centre under the guiding light of The Flying Nun has become one of the only accessible, affordable and nurturing venues for artists living on the fringe. In a city that has become one of the most expensive in the world, property development has thrived, and grass roots community and creative endeavours have suffered dearly. Artist across a spectrum of many disciplines (performance, film, storytelling, music and theatre) through Flying Nun have finally found an arena to cultivate their audience. Flying Nun's bottom line is not about accumulating the corporate dollar but inspiring creative ventures by the community for the community." Jaimie and Aspasia Leonarder (Mu Meson Archives) "I feel it is so important for us to have an accessible and affordable stage to present our ideas, in a place the community can gather for shared experience, appreciation, ideas and culture. Brand X delivered and then some, once again." Celia Curtis (Performer/Producer) "The Flying Nun by Brand X has allowed for my growth as an artist. Brand X has given us affordable space to try new ideas that would otherwise have been impossible because of the high cost of space in Sydney. It is an incredible opportunity that we have been afforded - it gives us the space to take risks." Eugene Lynch (Director)
Community Engagement At the heart of Brand X is our responsibility to the local communities where are studios are located with public facing programming to build engagement and strengthen local neighbourhoods. Expand "In an increasingly corporatised arts community Brand X allow artists to remain artists and focus on their practice. They do not dictate curatorially to the artists they support, but give them the freedom to be who they are. This helps stimulates the arts sector in NSW by allowing creative practice to develop as it should–by the artists themselves. Brand X's range of activities helps build artists practice by supplying space but it also builds the wider appreciation of the arts by enmeshing artists into a community." David Clarkson (Artistic Director - Stalker Theatre)
Affordable Space Our objective is to create affordable spaces for artists in Sydney to ensure resilience. We manage studios for visual artists, rehearsal rooms for performing artists and office spaces for creative businesses. Expand "Affordability of property is a dire concern for artists living in Sydney and Brand X offers a solution through the critical function of affordable space for artists…Were I in a position where I had to pay a greater rent or did not have the diverse facilities of our creative precinct, a great deal of my work and practice would simply not be feasible." Todd Fuller (Artist) "James Winter and Brand X have a proven record of focussed, intelligent, thorough knowledge of the cultural sector generally and in particular Sydney. It is because of this expertise that the company is able to deliver relevant, cost effective and timely initiatives to help stimulate and strengthen arts and cultural practice and activity." Kate Gaul (Theatre Director) "We have just signed our lease for another year at Brand X and we can honestly say, without this affordable housing for our company, we may not still be standing. Brand X's affordable spaces for artists have helped our production company flourish at time of huge change in our industry. We couldn't (and wouldn't want to) do it without Brand X support!" Lisa Shaunessy (Producer/Partner - Arcadia Films) "No one knows better than a creative artist that budget doesn’t make or break shows. However, if you can’t afford space to create you are in big trouble. I created a lot of my latest show on my mobile phone but it wasn’t until I got to roam about the endless possibilities of the East Sydney Community and Arts Centre that a ‘good’ performance was possible. So, essentially, without Brand X and their deft support I would be yet another artist talking about what they’d like to do. Not doing it." Drew Fairly (Performer)