about us

Cool Change (est. 2018) is an artist-run initiative based in Boorloo / Perth, Western Australia. Since our inception, we have hosted exhibitions, artist residences, performances, workshops, talks, and operated a small shop. Volunteer-led and not-for-profit, the organisation is committed to presenting experimental and critically engaged artistic practice in a welcoming and accessible environment with an agile and responsive outlook. The CC Bon Marche (2018-2022) archive can be accessed here.

From July 2022 to June 2023, Cool Change was closed to the public for relocation and reorganisation. Two phrases guided our approach to reopening:

slow roll

From what we have learnt over the last four years about volunteer-led arts organisations, a slow roll approach is needed to sustainably and strategically renew our operations. We need to remain responsive to changes and currents surrounding us, while also maintaining an agile structure that can adapt and bend to account for the needs of the emerging and experimental practices that

Cool Change should shrink and expand where needed, taking time to recoup, listen and breath as desired. To recommence at a slow roll pace is to account for the capacities of our volunteer team and those around us.

as is

The nature of space and site is an important variable for arts organsations. As a collective, we are driven by a resourceful and responsible approach to space and site, which does not take for granted the opportunity to operate on the unceded lands of Whadjuk Noongar people, and recognising our place as settler artists and workers on this land.

What is the impact emerging volunteer arts organisations have had on property, community and inner-city lifestyle, and how has this impact been considered and remunerated by resourced and established businesses? This is an open question and a demand for the labour of emerging artists, writers, curators and workers to not be taken lightly. Cool Change is reconsidering the ubiquity of the white-cube and the impact this has had on potential for exhibition-based arts organisations to emerge.

spaces

Keeping in mind our developing methodology (a slow roll approach and the as is nature of space and site), our Hay St location forecasts a future of programming that is sustainable, engaged and capable of housing a wide gamut of experimental artistic practices. On the other hand, we have retained a certain flexibility and openness towards challenging our location; along with the option to pursue offsite opportunities where possible. At the moment, Cool Change calls home an office tenancy on the second level of the ‘Kings Complex’ building (on Hay Street in the CBD east end). We have divided our tenancy into two spaces:

office

The CC office is a shared working and event space, archive and inventory storage. For the last year, the office has been utilised for collective meetings, training, discussions, reading groups, board game nights and strategic planning.

Our ambition is that the CC office provides a comfortable and consistent working environment to continue to develop and improve Cool Change as an organisation. We plan to host a range of programming in this space, as well as offer our desks, coffee machine and facilities as a resource for collaborators.

project space

A two-room adjacent office tenancy is what we currently call the project space. A fickle and particular space (thin walls, old carpet, inflexible lighting); our hope is that a certain site-responsiveness on the part of ourselves and our collaborators can draw out the exhibitionary potential of these two rooms. More details and experiments to come.

digital

The CC Digital Research and Design team — Paul Boyé, Alexander Jones, Oli Rawlings and Alexander Turner — have been working hard to reimagine Cool Change’s digital platform and visual logic. The CC website currently offers an outlook of projects on the horizon matched with an index of past projects (2023 onward) replete with high-definition documentation, writing and information. Our ambitions for the CC digital space include: digital publications built with collaborators; a digital residency space for web-based projects; an interactive strategic plan; podcasts and field recordings; office livestreams; a repository of information for working in and supporting artist-run initiatives; …

If you are interested in working with Cool Change digitally, from anywhere in the world, please get in touch (ATTN: CCDRD in the email subject line).

team

CC Collective:
Grace Connors (Chair)
Alexander Egloff (Vice Chair)
Paul Boyé (Treasurer)
Cornah Willis (Secretary)
Kauri Minhinnick
Samuel Beilby
Danielle Fusco

General Manager:
Dan Bourke

CC Digital Research and Design:
Paul Boyé
Alexander Jones
Oli Rawlings
Alexander Turner

Cool Change

CC ALL: Open Office and Exhibition

exhibition

event

office, project-space

03 Jun 2023

16:00–19:00

Playing off the carbon copy, the imperfect facsimile, traces of the past, ad hoc record keeping and receiving that long awaited email - we finally open our doors to you.

CC: ALL opens to the public and makes visible almost a years worth of late night scheming, pie in the sky thinking and forecasting the next Cool Change. Our new space on Hay Street is driven by a resourceful and responsible approach to site, treating the new space As Is, making little to no intervention, the carpets remain.

As a collective, we embrace this new opportunity to take things slowly, and the office represents a membrane for thought generation, new and experimental ideas and a place to sit for a while.

Old and new supporters of our last five years, you are now welcome to step into our office for an ice cold refreshment. Hear what we have planned, including the launch of EOI’s for the Cool Change residency program, more information to come.

Event Details:
June 3rd 2023
4-7pm
Cool Change: Level 2/533 Hay Street Boorloo/Perth
Whadjuk Noongar boodja

Event capacity is limited, RSVP

Accessibility information: The Kings Complex building is wheelchair accessible via the ramp entry. Cool Change is located on the second level, accessible via lift. Doorways are 83cm wide. There are no accessible bathrooms in the building. The closest accessible bathroom is located in the City of Perth Library, 150m down the road on Hay Street.

As we develop Cool Change, we are dedicated to improving our accessibility, both in space and digitally. If you have any access enquires, please get in touch (hello@coolchange.net.au)

Sponsors: Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries; Australia Council for the Arts; Shelter Brewery.