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The City of Maribyrnong has a long history of creativity, both from residents and visitors.

We’re home to a large creative population and we’re also home to a culturally rich and diverse community. We are one of 11 creative urban neighbourhoods in Victoria – identified by Creative Victoria – and the only one in Melbourne’s west.

Creative West was previously known as the NeXT project. The current name captures the spirit of the project and our aspirations.

Creative West will be a hub for creativity, arts, and culture that will revitalise the Footscray CBD. It will provide a welcoming place for everyone in the community to gather, learn new skills, attend events, and experience culture in the heart of Footscray.

Creative West will deliver:

• a brand-new library, learning and innovation hub
• a performance venue
• a green open space for events and community gatherings
• car parking.

Advocacy and planning for Creative West dates back to 2015, when demand for community facilities was first identified by Council and the community.

Between 2019 and 2020, you told us you wanted:

• a library of the future to encourage more visitors to the area
• multi-use spaces
• study rooms and programs for all ages
• community spaces for cultural events and meeting rooms for local groups
• talks and lectures
• spaces with greenery, windows, and natural materials
• quiet, calm spaces.

At the June 2020 Council Meeting, Council endorsed the community's preferred concept for Creative West.

Council has also continued to advocate to State and Federal Governments. In 2025, the Australian Government provided $5 million funding, matched by Council, to support the design of Creative West.

Footscray is a vital cultural and commercial centre in Melbourne’s inner west, with a proud migrant history, thriving creative sector, and strong local character.

But in recent years, growing concerns around public safety, antisocial behaviour, and urban neglect have impacted confidence in the precinct. These concerns – both real and perceived – risk undermining the area's potential and the wellbeing of its community.

Creative West will help improve central Footscray to become a key destination in Melbourne’s west. It will bring more visitors to the area, helping grow the economy in the Footscray CBD and connect residents to services and community.

The project complements the Footscray CBD Place Plan 2025/26 which commits Council to short-term actions to improve amenity in the Footscray CBD.

Creative West is also listed in our Advocacy Plan 2025-28 as a project that will secure lasting social, cultural and economic benefits for the west.

The new town park will connect to the broader Footscray CBD, providing increased greenery and canopy coverage – building on feedback we’ve heard through other projects, including the Council Plan 2025-29.

The upgraded library will provide a contemporary and modern space to meet current and future community needs. It responds to what we’ve heard from respondents on the Library Plan, where we heard calls for extended opening hours, a larger and more diverse collection, and additional programs and learning opportunities.

The new performing arts facility will provide a dedicated, purpose-built performing arts venue in Melbourne’s West. It strengthens Footscray as the only creative neighbourhood in Melbourne’s west and will provide professional facilities for arts organisations and performers in our City. This is aligned with Council’s Creative Maribyrnong Strategy and Live Music Action Plan.

To deliver the scale required for this project, Council is unable to self-fund and needs investment from both State and Federal Governments.

Council has already committed land to the project, $5 million funding for planning and design and will commit further funding when it secures government support.

Council has also been actively advocating for the project and was successful in obtaining $5 million in funding from the Australian Government (Urban Precincts and Partnerships Program) for the planning and design of Creative West.

Council is calling on State and Federal Governments to invest in this precinct to create a lasting impact in Footscray for generations.

It's been over five years since Council endorsed the Concept Design in 2020.

We know things have changed – the population has grown, and new people are moving into Footscray and the inner-west.

Since then, we hosted the ‘Get a taste of Creative West’ event in April 2024 and heard that the community still wanted Creative West.

We aren’t starting the conversation from scratch, rather checking and confirming we're on the right track.

There are a few ways to get involved. You can:

• complete the full survey or participate in an interactive activity for each Creative West element on this page
• chat to us in person at an upcoming event
• add a song to our community playlist on this page
• submit an audio message on this page
• send us an email or call to talk to the project team.

We will then share the Concept Design for comments before we start the detailed design.