In collaboration with Verb Syndicate and the Nowra CBD Revitalisation Committee, Shoalhaven City Council hosted the Winter Lane Art Project. 

Former Shoalhaven artist Enes painted a mural in the lane, which community members were invited to help with. 

The purpose of the project was to encourage community participation and to bring some life back into the CBD. 

“We’ve done a lot of work with council and the revitalisation committee over the last couple years with the big murals, and they are somewhat exclusive to the artist,” Verb Syndicate founder Simon Grant said. 

“But something like this is good on a grassroots level to really connect people with the wider community.”

The community engagement project, facilitated by Verb Syndicate allowed people to leave their mark on the town. 

“People can come and see what parts they contributed to which is pretty cool,” Simon said. 

“We brought also Enes back to his hometown to be a part of this and connect with the community.”

Nowra CBD Revitalisation Strategy Committee member Lynne Kearney said she was pleased so many people got involved with the project. 

“It’s been a wonderful effort, people from as small as tiny tots to people as old as me have picked up a paint brush and had a go,” she said. 

“It’s all about highlighting the CBD, saying to ‘people come into town and have a look at what’s happening with our lovely shops and cafes’, it’s really good to see the community getting involved.” 

Council’s strategic planning manager Gordon Clarke said there were plans to host more events like the Winter Lane Arts Project in future, whilst also promoting the current murals around the CBD. 

“We want to raise a bit more community awareness round the murals we’ve already got around town,” he said. 

“We are going to put up some more explanatory signs about each mural to say when they were painted, by who and who of,” he said. 

“We’re also creating a Google Maps trail with all the artworks that tells you more information about each artwork.”