Woodburn is Closing
After nine precious years of operating at 1-5 Woodburn St, we are announcing that the space will officially close its doors this June (18th).
The property (including neighboring lots) was recently sold for $49.5 million, a figure beyond our reach to secure. As a development site, its conversion was inevitable, yet Woodburn remained an anomaly for nearly a decade. In a city that has passed a tipping point, it is increasingly difficult to accommodate creative production space without systemic intervention. Between short-term demolition leases, legal hurdles, and a pandemic, Woodburn served as a sanctuary for hundreds of creative practitioners over the years.
The Search for Continuity
After months of searching we found one suitable property for our vision and began working towards securing the site for relocation. The plan was to establish a major production hub with 34 studios anchored by a 500sqm workshop designed specifically for large-scale fabrication, set builds, festival activations, Mardi Gras floats, and sculpture assembly.
Despite arriving at agreeable terms, the site was snatched by another party. It remains a stark reality of the open market that without priority mechanisms for the creative sector, a building affordable enough for artists is considered a bargain for other industries with more immediant fiancial means.
The Path Forward
Without a viable site for immediate continuity, the lights at Woodburn will be going out for now. This is a significant loss for our community; for many, it represents not just displacement, but a loss of the physical capacity required to sustain their practice at this scale.
The pressure to find a solution, within the timeframe of closing, has been immense and has absorbed our full capacity. While we are sad to lose this home for now, we are still on the hunt and are looking to explore new opportunities and with time, we believe we can develop something even better.
The Impact of the Space
I cannot express enough the fortune of being able to work alongside more talented individuals than I can even conceive. To give and receive support from this community made it one to be cherished. An immeasurable amount of incredible work has been produced and shared here; the impact of those personal pursuits and collective achievements has been monumental.
We are incredibly grateful for the time we’ve had. We’ve had more time and impact than we ever initially thought we’d have and we cannot be more fulfilled. We will be squeezing every bit of potential out of these final weeks and we welcome everyone to make the most of them. We will continue the conversation and the fight to provide vital creative infrastructure.