Carlisle Street Underpass Public Artwork Opportunity

Project background

With funding from the Victorian Government’s Multicultural Business Precinct Revitalisation Program, the City of Port Phillip is delivering a public space uplift project at the Carlisle Street underpass beneath Balaclava Station. The project will commission a public artwork on two new freestanding steel hoardings positioned in front of the existing bluestone walls. The artwork will help revitalise the Carlisle Street business precinct, improve the amenity of a key pedestrian connection, support local economic activity and celebrate the evolving cultural diversity of traders, communities and visitors who use the precinct.

The project responds to ongoing graffiti and amenity issues in the underpass by creating a durable, high-quality artwork intervention that can be maintained by Council. The finished work should deter illegal graffiti and strengthen the identity, cultural character and visitor experience of the multicultural business precinct.

Artwork Brief

Community Engagement

There will be an opportunity to participate in community consultation to help inform the artwork concept. This may include Council supported engagement at the 2026 Victorian Interfaith Festival at the St Kilda Town Hall on Sunday 15 November 2026, and/ or with Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee. The successful applicant will be expected to attend the session, develop their early ideas in an accessible way, listen to community feedback, and demonstrate how relevant themes, stories or priorities have been considered in the development of the final artwork

Themes that may be considered could include:

Multicultural business precinct identity

• Concepts should celebrate the evolving cultural diversity of Carlisle Street and the Balaclava business precinct, including the stories, traditions, food cultures, languages, migration histories and contemporary identities of multicultural traders and communities connected to the area.

Precinct activation and local economic activity

• Artwork should help make the underpass more attractive, memorable and welcoming, encouraging visitation, movement through the precinct and a stronger connection between the station, Carlisle Street traders and local public spaces.

Night-time presence and safety

• Where feasible, concepts may explore laser-cut steel patterns or integrated backlighting to provide an artistic illumination effect at night.

The following must be considered when applying:

• The artwork must be suitable for a highly visible, highly used public space and be welcoming, vibrant, inclusive and family-friendly.
• The concept should demonstrate how it contributes to the identity, cultural heritage and contemporary diversity of the multicultural business precinct.
• Applicants should show how their approach supports local business visibility, visitation and a positive visitor experience for people using the underpass and surrounding Carlisle Street precinct.
• The proposed concept must be original and must not contain business logos, advertising material, offensive imagery, political messaging or content that promotes anti-social behaviour.

Project Location

The artwork will be installed under the Balaclava Station railway bridge, in front of the bluestone walls on either side of Carlisle Street.

The site is located within a rail corridor and includes two existing heritage-listed bluestone walls on either side of Carlisle Street. Because the walls are not Council-owned and have heritage value, artwork must not be installed directly onto, fixed into, painted over or otherwise alter the walls. The proposed approach is to install a permanent steel screening or hoarding system, approximately 7 metres by 4 metres, offset from the bluestone walls to provide a suitable artwork surface, while avoiding impact on the heritage fabric and retaining maintenance access behind the structure.

Project delivery

The artist(s) will be responsible for:

• All costs associated with artwork concept development and preparation of the final print-ready digital artwork file.
• Attending meetings as required and working with Council to develop the artwork concept within Council’s timelines.
• Participating in a Council run community consultation program or facilitation session, as required, to help inform the artwork concept. This includes attending the session, developing community ideas in an accessible way, listening to community feedback, and demonstrating how relevant themes, stories or priorities have been considered in the development of the final artwork.
• Working with Council to ensure the artwork is appropriate for the site.
• Delivery of a final print-ready digital artwork file in the required format, resolution and specifications agreed with Council, for supply to the appointed installer.
• Providing artwork file specifications, colour references and any reasonable production notes required by Council or the installer.
• Participation in media calls, interviews and publicity if requested
• Reviewing digital proofs or installer queries where required before artwork production.

Council will be responsible for:

• Facilitating engagement at the 2026 Victorian Interfaith Festival and with Council’s Multicultural Advisory Committee
• Promoting and hosting engagement with local businesses, multicultural traders or community stakeholders where required
• Project management
• Permits where required
• Engaging and coordinating the installer responsible for fabrication, printing, application and installation of the artwork onto the hoarding or screening system
• Ongoing maintenance of the work

Copyright

The artist will be asked to sign a Non-exclusive copyright agreement with the City of Port Phillip to cover usage of the artwork by the City in the following instances:

• Online use for Port Phillip City Collection online database
• Possible future publication of the artwork in Council promotions, Port Phillip City Collection exhibition programs and publications.

Project timelines

*Please note, all timelines are subject to change

Budget

The maximum budget for the project is $10,000 (ex GST).

This budget will need to cover all costs associated with the project and the awarded applicant’s scope of work, including, but not limited to:

Additional claims for disbursements will not be accepted. The contractor should prepare, as part of their quotation submission, a project budget showing how the fee has been derived. The submission must also clearly articulate any assumptions and exclusions.

Contractual arrangements

Payment of the budget will be made in two instalments:

1. 50% upon signing contract
2. 50% upon artwork delivery (with Council approval and supply of the final print-ready file to the installer).

Working with an auspice organisation

Applicants must be an incorporated body/company, or auspiced by an auspice organisation prior to applying to meet any Superannuation Guarantee and Australian Tax Office and other legislative requirements.

An auspice organisation may advise and assist with budget, legal and insurance requirements and may charge a small administration fee. An applicant should have a written agreement with their project auspice organisation. Please note that the auspice fee and superannuation contributions will be paid on top of allocated budget by council.

Selection process

Assessment criteria will include:

• Alignment with the Multicultural Business Precinct Revitalisation Program, including precinct activation, improved public space outcomes and support for local economic activity.
• The artwork contributes to an attractive, stimulating and functional public environment and does not detract from amenity, accessibility or public safety.
• Consent from Bunurong Land Council Aboriginal Corporation representatives will be noted as required where cultural material and traditional arts images and icons or symbols are used or referenced. Council can support this consultation if required.
• The artist demonstrates a willingness to incorporate multicultural themes from the community and is sensitive to the heritage bluestone wall, rail-corridor context.
• Previous experience delivering high-quality public art or public realm projects within agreed timelines and budgets, including demonstrated capacity to work collaboratively with Council, businesses and project stakeholders.
• The artist has indicated that they can meet the required timelines of the project.

Details to include in submission

• Resume or portfolio
• Evidence of previous project experience, including examples of completed public murals (of a similar nature), concept statements and total project costs.
• Name of applicant or company, postal address, legal entity, Australian Business Number (ABN).
  Please note, applicant must be incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act or supported by an Incorporated Association that is deemed to be non-profit, as classified by the Australian Taxation Office (section 103A(2) (c) of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1936).

Ensuring a child safe City of Port Phillip

The City of Port Phillip has zero tolerance for child abuse, and we are a committed Child Safe organisation. Our commitment is to ensure that a culture of child safety is embedded across our community to safeguard every child and young person accessing City of Port Phillip.

All grant applications that work directly with children and young people are required to comply with legislation and regulations relating to child safety including, but not limited to, the Working with Children Act 2005 and the Working with Children Regulations 2016 and the Victorian Child Safe Standards (CSS)

Victorian Government Values Statement
Funded organisations are required to uphold the Victorian Government values and the Commitment to Social Cohesion, when delivering their funded projects.

Further information can be found online: Victorian Values Statement | vic.gov.au

Working with First Peoples
The traditional boundaries that make up the City of Port Phillip belong to the Bunurong People, Boon Wurrung People and the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People of the wider Kulin Nation; with Bunurong People and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People being formally recognised as Registered Aboriginal Parties.

Please follow appropriate cultural protocols when engaging with Traditional Owner Groups, this is particularly important for projects and activities that include Indigenous elements, First Peoples participation or initiatives that require engaging with Traditional Owners through a consultation process.