Garema Place Hotel hoarding displaying historical imagery of the area.
The creative hoardings pilot program has been developed to enhance the City Centre's visual appeal, support emerging artists, and maintain public safety.
By transforming construction hoardings into art displays, the program connects artists with the community and addresses the challenges of long-term construction sites.
In doing so, it promotes local artists, prevents graffiti, and beautifies the City Centre.
Six artists and designers were selected through an expression of interest process and paid to provide artworks for the trial program.
Commissioned artworks are available for developers and property owners to use, free of charge, on eligible sites where hoardings are required.
Developers and builders are responsible for all costs associated with printing, installation, and maintenance.
Artworks commissioned by the program are designed to include developer, business, or property owner logos.
Developers and property owners can get involved by sending an expression of interest email to cityrenewal@act.gov.au.
This artwork centres around a fire, symbolising warmth and gathering. Mob and community coming together with kangaroo tracks showing movement and surrounding waterways. It shares a feeling of positive, growth-driven environment with vibrant colours of Country, creating a true sense of home.
Wilay Designs - Ngunawal Country - sample of hoarding artwork.
Every day I walk through the iron-rich reds, glowing yellows, warm pinks of Ngunnawal country, feeling that sense of immense and gentle awe. These marks kindle the perception and memory of leaves and sky and land, from vast landscapes to the tiniest creature.
Kate Conrick – The iron-leaf sky - sample of hoarding artwork.
I am a mixed media artist, working in textiles, painting, and collage.
Influenced by the climate of Canberra and my personal ties to the city, I wanted to depict relatively small works in a gargantuan manner, wrapping parts of the city in a visual blanket, communicating notions of care and warmth.
Laura Canty - Wrapping the city - sample of hoarding artwork.
These artworks are chromatograms of local trees. Chromatography can be understood as the visual expression of vibrant matter or - in other words – each chromatogram is a self-portrait of its tree. These works celebrate the role trees play as vital and acknowledged members of our community.
Sammy Hawker - Vibrant matter - sample of hoarding artwork.
Home is where the heart is. This selection of home/house portraits are part of an ongoing project to capture layered snapshots of people’s homes, dreams, and lives here in the ACT.
Paul Summerfield - House portraits - sample of hoarding artwork.
Explore a timeless land where we can escape and reconnect. These emotional landscapes reflect both what we see and how we feel in places that are special to us.
Ray Monde - Timeless places - sample of hoarding artwork.
Construction fences in Garema Place have been decorated with historical imagery of the area’s development.
Year | Description | With Help from: |
1925 | Temporary platform, Civic. A snapshot of Canberra's early urban framework, awaiting its future as the heart of the city. Licenced from the Canberra & District Historical Society. Reference No. 16581 | Canberra and District Historical Society |
1950 | 1950: Road to Garema Place - This photograph offers a nostalgic view of the once car accessible Garema Place. Lined with iconic 1950s automobiles and a parade of local businesses, a testament to Canberra's thriving post-war commerce. Courtesy of the Canberra & District Historical Society. Reference | Canberra and District Historical Society |
1952 | Garema Place Under Construction. A snapshot of progress, this image captures Garema Place in the throes of development, foretelling its future as a central hub of Canberra's Civic Centre. From the Department of Capital Territory Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library Reference: 9475A11. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1963 | Garema Place and Braddon flats. A view of the quaint shops in Garema Place with the Braddon flats rising in the background, encapsulating the suburban expansion. From the collection of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Central Office. Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. Reference | National Archives of Australia |
1970 | Garema Place, a window into the evolving landscape of Canberra during the mid-20th century. From the collection of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Central Office. Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. Reference No. 11719886. | National Archives of Australia |
1970 | Lunch hour. A candid capture of a young boy stretching to get a drink. Licenced from the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 000745. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1980 | The pedestrianisation of Garema Place moving award from Cars. Courtesy of Archives ACT. Reference No. ACT3-3153 | Archives ACT |
1974 | Gus Petersilka at his coffee shop. A moment frozen in time, Mr. Gus Petersilka stands before his establishment, a testament to his role in Canberra's café culture. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 000261. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1974 | Gus's outdoor area. The lively outdoor dining space at Gus's Coffee Shop, an image framed by the controversy of its nonconforming structure, inviting discussions on urban planning and community spaces. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 000096. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1980 | Locked Out. Sheriff's officers lock the doors to Gus Petersilka's coffee shop. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 007532 | ACT Government | Libraries |
1994 | The little emperor. A final note from Faquharson, celebrating the story of Gus Petersilka, whose spirit and dedication left an indelible mark on Canberra's heart. From the Canberra Times Collection. Licenced from The National Library of Australia. Reference. (ACT: 1994), 2 October, p.21. | National Library of Australia. |
1980 | Music at Large in Garema Place, Civic. Captured by Michael Porter, this vibrant scene from the 1980s echoes with the energy of live music and community gatherings in the heart of Canberra. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 000230. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1980 | Of pigeons and children. Jennifer Castle of Macquarie and her two daughters feeding the pigeons in Garema Place, encapsulating the space's role as a community hub. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 00232. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1982 | Voices of celebration. Commemorating International Women's Day, women are captured applauding during a rally in Garema Place. A testament to the city's vibrant community spirit and advocacy. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 006806. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1983 | Mardi Gras festivities. Families dance and celebrate in Garema Place, embracing the joyous atmosphere of the Canberra Festival Mardi Gras celebrations, a reflection of Canberra’s cultural and social vitality. From the Canberra Times Collection. Courtesy of the ACT Heritage Library. Reference No. 000084. | ACT Government | Libraries |
1986 | Festival flora. A scene from Canberra's festivities, showcasing the integration of nature and celebration with an array of plants, awaiting further details to complete the story. Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. Reference No. 117204920 | National Archives of Australia |
1987 | Diners take over Garema. A lively scene where diners fill Garema Place in a massive showing of outdoor dining popularity. From the Office of the Surveyor General photographic collection. Courtesy of Archives ACT. Reference No. ACT3-6324. | Archives ACT |
1987 | Knight handplants on C1. The Garema Place chess board was once a pit and a stage for skateboarders. From the Office of the Surveyor General photographic collection. Courtesy of Archives ACT. Reference No. ACT3-4034. | Archives ACT |
1987 | Sax of soul. The soulful ambiance of the Jazz Festival permeates Garema Place, showcasing Canberra's rich musical landscape. Courtesy of the National Archives of Australia. Reference No. 11747490 | National Archives of Australia |
1992 | Closing chapter at Develin's Chemist. The front of Develin's Chemist in Garema Place, captured during its closing down sale. The passing of time is echoed by the young person walking by and the poignant message on the sandwich boards. Licenced from the Canberra and District Historical Society. Reference | Canberra and District Historical Society |
We acknowledge the Ngunnawal people as traditional custodians of the ACT and recognise any other people or families with connection to the lands of the ACT and region. We acknowledge and respect their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this city and this region.