IKLECTIK ART LAB

IKLECTIK IS AN EXPERIMENTAL MUSIC VENUE THAT FOR TEN YEARS WAS PART OF A VIBRANT COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS AND CREATIVE ENTREPRENEURS SITUATED WITHIN THE CREATIVE WORKSPACE KNOWN AS OLD PARADISE YARD.

PREVIOUSLY A TIBETAN BUDDHIST CENTRE, THIS COMMUNITY HAS BEEN UPROOTED DUE TO A DEVELOPMENT PLAN TO BUILD 1.6 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF OFFICE SPACE ON THE LAND, RESULTING IN SHORT NOTICE EVICTIONS.

AT THE CLOSING PARTY FOR IKLECTIK, I SPOKE WITH MATT WHO SHARED HIS VIEWS ON THE PRESERVATION OF COMMUNITY SPACES. HE IS A MUSICIAN AND HAD PERFORMED AT IKLECTIK BEFORE AND ALSO FREQUENTLY ATTENDED:

‘It’s the slowly unfolding story of a City that is more obsessed with money and other targets than it is about many of the cultural elements that draw people here in the first place.’

INTERVIEWS AT IKLECTIK

Do you have any reflections on how experimental music is being marginalised and the effects of these types of developments taking place?

MISHA - BARTENDER AT IKLECTIK AND MUSICIAN:

‘Independent art and independent music will never be profitable and that’s the way it should be.’

LIA MICE, MUSICIAN/ARTIST, PERFORMED AT IKLECTIK CLOSING PARTY:

‘It is a community and all coming to the same place does help the community grow’