The Refinery returns under new leadership, signaling a bright future for the Sunshine Coast arts sector.

12 Mar

The Refinery is an annual creative business incubator program designed to support independent artists and creative industry practitioners establish and grow viable and sustainable businesses.

The program was launched in 2019 through a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, SunCentral and the MET, and the Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance (SCCA). Having already supported 58 creative businesses across four successful years, Refinery 5.0 will be delivered by Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance, marking an important milestone in the growth of the arts sector on the Sunshine Coast.

SCCA President Liz Burcham said:

“Taking responsibility for The Refinery will see SCCA continue to play a pivotal role in enabling and strengthening the Sunshine Coast’s creative sector. 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.“

Megan Rowland, Team Leader of Creative Development for Sunshine Coast Council and Bronwyn Adams, Project Manager City Activation, Maroochydore City Centre for SunCentral were both instrumental in founding The Refinery and are enthusiastic about the future of The Refinery under SCCAs leadership.

Megan said:

“We are immensely proud of what has been achieved through The Refinery over the last four years. The Refinery has made a significant contribution to invigorating the creative sector and revealing the immense creative talent here. 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 & Heritage Levy and will work closely with SCCA and The Refinery participants to continue to strengthen the creative ecology of our region.”

Bronwyn shares this sentiment:

“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. Our population and the creative sector are both on equal growth trajectories and The Refinery will continue to play a vital capacity building role. The new Maroochydore City Centre looks forward to continuing to collaborate and build networks with The Refinery and its participants as a Program Partner.”

Shaye Hardisty, Founder of Little House Seamstress was a participant in the 2021 program and has since gone on to collaborate with Ketakii Jewson-Brown on the highly successful Sunshine Coast 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.”

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 now and expressions of interest sought from creative practitioners across the country. Shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a one-day bootcamp on Saturday 25th March as part of the program selection process. Applications close at 5pm on Wednesday 1st March.

For more information about Refinery 5.0 and to apply, please visit www.therefinerysunshinecoast.com

The Refinery was founded in 2019 through a partnership between Sunshine Coast Council, Sun Central and the MET, and the Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance.

Refinery 5.0 is an initiative delivered by the Sunshine Coast Creative Alliance and supported by ArtsCoast, Sunshine Coast Council through the Arts and Heritage Levy; and SunCentral and the MET.

The First Nations enterprise series is delivered by ArtsCoast, Sunshine Coast Council through the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and Sunshine Coast Council.