Renew Newcastle is a new initiative which makes use of vacant or abandoned buildings within the Newcastle Central Business District in Southeastern Australia.  Headed by Marcus Westbury, a writer, broadcaster, festival director, media maker and Newcastle local, the not-for-profit company connects artists, cultural projects and community groups with vacant spaces in an attempt to temporarily make use of and maintain these buildings, whilst supporting the creative community.
While the long term prospects for the redevelopment of Newcastle’s CBD are good, in the meantime many sites are boarded up, falling apart, vandalised or decaying because they are is no short term [...]