Footscray Community Arts Centre has well and truly earned its stripes as an institution – not just in Footscray, but Melbourne-wide. The Centre is a hub for cultural expression, contemporary arts and community involvement and been kicking around since 1974. It caters to everyone, from the curious to the established artist, and has a day program for people with disabilities to get involved in artistic experiences.
The Centre is a perpetual buzz of activity - there are often exhibitions dedicated to West Melbourne, where you can view the area through the eyes of artists that call Footscray home, as well as exhibitions curated from the broader global community. There are also film screenings, gigs and performances from emerging artists on any day of the week, so be sure to check their website to keep up with what’s going on.
If you want to dip your toes into the creative world, there are constantly workshops happening. Have a go at anything from creating your own website to photography, painting or drawing to digital animation. There are also great classes for the little ones - enroll them in the circus club or join them in a weekly percussion and dance class. The Centre also offers a range of accredited training programs across a wide range of art practices if you want to get more involved in the arts industry. Whatever you're into, it's worth heading west and getting a good dose of suburb envy.