Once decidedly “Italo-centric”, Norton Street nowadays is seeking to rebrand under a fresh and fast multicultural identity.

According to 2016 census data, the five most common ancestries in Leichhardt were English, Australian, Irish, Italian and Scottish, with Chinese bringing up the rear in sixth.

On the shopping strip, Asian inspired restaurants now sit side by side with restaurants famous for their exquisite pasta dishes.

Embracing diversity is of optimum importance in all areas of Sydney, and the EDGE initiative is exemplary of this.

Leichhardt Town Hall has a long history of community and cultural use, and EDGE Inner West Town Hall Activation will strengthen and continue this tradition. 

EDGE Town Hall Activation encourages a broad range of diverse performers and groups to use the hall free of charge and develop new works and ideas that cater to a range of tastes - from the innovative to the traditional. 

As well as free use of the town hall, successful applicants will be listed in the project program and be provided with free promotion. 

EDGE aims to: 

• Build community, arts and businesses partnerships 

• Engage local artists and diverse communities to express local identity 

• Profile the inner west as the creative engine room of global Sydney 

EDGE activation in Leichhardt means another boost in the right direction to reinvigorating the area.

The initiative comes after the Inner West Council announced in November legislative changes that make it easier for businesses to convert to a small bar in the area.

There was once a time when the Italian forum was at the centre of Norton Street’s activity; visitors strolled along the piazza with their cones of gelati, and the sweet sounds of children skipping and shouting along the balconies echoed through the buildings.

While the Italian forum may be a memory of the past, strengthening a diverse community with the Leichhardt Town Hall as its historical centre is a step in the right direction for a lively multicultural future.

As representatives of the Italian sector, it’s time for us to highlight everything that makes our culture special!

Expressions of interest for EDGE Inner West Town Hall Activation close on Friday, January 18, 2019.

Head to the Inner West Council website to apply.