Wasted Spaces was created to help stem the decaying effect of empty and disused buildings on local areas, while also providing artists with free exhibition space and a chance to reach a wider audience. By recycling disused buildings, Wasted Spaces animates local areas, brings local artists together with new communities and encourages artistic innovation.

Since coming together around an artist community in Sydney, Australia, the Wasted Spaces team have pioneered their common goal of revitalizing disused or wasted spaces to showcase art. They aim to provide a platform so that artists can create works that amaze and inspire, while breaking down the traditional barriers to experiencing new and exciting installations. This gives new audiences the opportunity to view, interact with and discuss art.

The principles of the team are Michael Sharp, Remo Carbone and Frederieke Janssen. Their combined experiences – from art curation to zeitgeist monitoring – are the perfect foundation for a pioneering global project such as Wasted Spaces.

What does Wasted Spaces do?
The team searches out empty shop fronts, neglected commercial sites and other unloved buildings. These are then cleaned up and filled with art. By doing so, the “wasted spaces” are re-energised and transformed into exciting art experiences. This offers a valuable platform for emerging artists to showcase their work.

Why?
The installations created by Wasted Spaces artists reactivates disused buildings and brings them back to life, making the high street a centre of activity in the local community once again.

Squatters and graffiti are expensive and time consuming for many commercial landlords.  They also devalue property prices, both of the unused building and those surrounding it. The Wasted Spaces fully secure buildings, and the project means empty buildings are often cleaned up.

Property owners benefit from the immediate occupancy Wasted Spaces brings to unused sites, with the maintenance required for the project making buildings more attractive for future commercial use or redevelopment.

By taking art out of the traditional white walled galleries, traditional barriers between art and audience are broken down. The Wasted Spaces project gives artists the opportunity to exhibit work to an entirely new audience.