2025 Presidents Report

  • AGM, News, Uncategorised

Adelaide West End Association President’s Report 2025

Setting the Stage

2025 has been a year of consolidation and forward motion for the Adelaide West End Association (AWEA). As we await the findings of the City of Adelaide Precinct Review, our focus has been on strengthening the West End’s position as an important voice in shaping the future of precinct engagement and economic development across the city. This year, we’ve continued to build strategic alignment with AEDA and Council priorities, while maintaining momentum on key local initiatives that speak to the heart of what makes the West End distinct.

Our activities and plans have been guided by the City of Adelaide’s 2024-2028 Strategic Plan and AEDA’s Strategic Plan 2024-2029 aligning our shared visions for vibrant precincts, a thriving visitor economy and strong local identity.

Advocacy & Infrastructure

The Hindley Street Master Plan remains one of the most critical and eagerly anticipated infrastructure projects for our precinct. While delays in scope and timing between the State and City Council have been challenging, AWEA has continued to advocate for transparency, consultation and collaboration in the planning process.

We’ve worked closely with the City of Adelaide, and stakeholders to ensure that business owners, landlords, and community representatives are included in any further forthcoming consultation stages. Our intent remains clear – that the upgrade not only improves safety and accessibility but also supports a stronger mix of tenancies, daytime economy, and overall visitor experience.

AWEA also continues to engage throughout the year on the Council’s Hindley Street Round Table including SAPOL, AHA, Encounter Youth, and Liquor Licensing, to ensure precinct safety and amenity remain a top priority.

We have and we will continue to strongly advocate for the next steps in the proposed Light Square upgrade, a transformational project with the power to redefine the West End of tomorrow. It must remain a civic priority, delivering a greener, safer and more inclusive community space at the heart of our city – one that celebrates culture, creativity and connection, and truly reflects a city designed for the people who live, work, stay and play here. 

Creative Quarter Culture

In 2025, the West End further strengthened its position as Adelaide’s creative quarter and home to some of the city’s most iconic arts organisations and live music venues.

We were thrilled to sponsor Music SA’s Scouted 2024, which brought together emerging artists, industry leaders and audiences across multiple West End venues. This activation showcased the precinct’s talent pipeline and reaffirmed the West End’s reputation as Adelaide’s home of live music and creative innovation.

We also continued our collaboration with the Fringe in the West End, helping to strengthen the precinct’s role as counter destination for artists, audiences and venues during Adelaide’s festival season. This work reinforced the importance of the West End as a creative hub while identifying the infrastructure and amenity upgrades like Light Square required to sustain and grow the precinct’s festival capacity year-round. AWEA continues to advocate for targeted investment in partnership with the City of Adelaide and AEDA to ensure the West End remains a vibrant, well-equipped stage for Adelaide’s cultural life.

This year marked a major milestone in the development of the West End Place Identity project, delivered in partnership with AEDA and local creative agency Nation.

Following broad engagement in 2024, this work will be unveiled at this year’s AGM. This shared identity captures the essence of the West End – creative, diverse, and distinct and provides a foundation for consistent storytelling, marketing and investment attraction moving forward.

Thriving Precinct Mix

In 2025, AWEA continued its commitment to supporting local business resilience and precinct vitality through collaboration and insight-led planning. With support from AEDA’s Mainstreets Development Program, we will commence foundational work to scope and design the forthcoming West End Tenancy Mapping Project, a key initiative for 2025–26 that aims to capture data on occupancy, business mix and investment opportunities across the precinct. This groundwork has included identifying existing data gaps, developing partnerships, and shaping the framework for a future West End Insights Platform that will inform future leasing, safety and activation strategies.

We greatly value our close relationship with Renew Adelaide, supporting where possible their fantastic work in identifying opportunities for creative and short-term activations/tenants that address long-term vacancies and enhance the street-level experience.

Partnerships & Policy

AWEA continues to act as a vital conduit between local business, government and the creative industries. Through regular engagement with AEDA, the City of Adelaide, stakeholders from government, education, business, arts & events, we are amplifying opportunities for collaboration, investment and growth.

We remain committed to monitoring and contributing to key policy discussions impacting the West End, including equitable planning and zoning approaches, and the need for ongoing investment in public safety infrastructure throughout the precinct. AWEA has also been actively engaging with the City of Adelaide and AEDA on strategies to improve the tenancy mix across our main streets, addressing the over-saturation of certain business types and encouraging a more balanced blend of hospitality, retail, creative, and service offerings. This work is central to ensuring a safer, more diverse and economically resilient West End that thrives both day and night.

Place Identity

Our 2024 AGM and networking event marked a major milestone for the precinct, launching the West End Place Identity project, stewarded by local creative agency Nation, bringing genuine insight and creative excellence to the process. The event drew strong engagement from members, community representatives, government partners and business leaders, whose insights and enthusiasm helped shape a brand that truly captures the creative spirit and diversity of the West End. The excitement and pride in the room reflected a shared commitment to redefining how the precinct is seen and celebrated.

Following the AGM, two stakeholder workshops brought together leaders from the arts, education, government, hospitality, property and community sectors to refine the brand narrative, visual identity and tone. Their feedback was instrumental in creating an authentic and future-focused story for the West End – one grounded in creativity, connection and cultural confidence. This collaborative process now sets the stage for the official unveiling of the new West End brand identity at this year’s AGM – a shared story that embodies the heart and future of our precinct.

Celebrating & Connecting

A special acknowledgment goes to Karen Devenport, whose outstanding work leading our social media and communications has truly amplified the pulse of the West End. Her efforts have brought new visibility to local businesses, artists and hospitality operators, using our channels to share the stories, people and places that make this precinct so vibrant and alive. Our growing digital reach now plays a vital role in promoting the precinct’s identity, strengthening community connection and celebrating all that makes the West End beat.

Acknowledgments

Our achievements this year would not be possible without the ongoing support of our members, our partners at the Adelaide Economic Development Agency (AEDA), and the City of Adelaide.

My heartfelt thanks go to our 2024/25 Executive Committee for their time, expertise and passion:

  • Nikki Hamdorf (JamFactory)
  • Bec Bates (ILA)
  • James Economos (Econ Group)
  • Rachel Toop (UniSA)
  • Tony Scrivener (Grand Chancellor Hotels)
  • Andrew Wallace (UniSA) 
  • Christine Ormsby (Visualcom)
  • Simone Gibbs (TAFE SA)

We also extend special appreciation to Terri Dichiera, City of Adelaide Place Coordinator, for her invaluable collaboration, and to Karen Devenport, AWEA Coordinator, for her exceptional support to the committee, members and stakeholders.

Next Chapter

As I step down as President, I do so with immense gratitude and pride in how far we’ve come, and great optimism for what lies ahead. Since joining the Association in the challenging post-COVID period, our focus has been on rebuilding momentum, strengthening foundations, forging aligned strategic partnerships, and leading with clear advocacy and a shared creative vision. Together, these efforts have positioned the West End for its next vibrant chapter.

The precinct’s strength has always been its people – the artists, students, entrepreneurs, educators, and business owners who bring life to our streets every day. Together, we’re shaping not just a precinct, but a thriving cultural economy that embodies a unique spirit, one that our City of Adelaide is all the better for.

Thank you for your continued care and belief in the West End. Within our new brand identity, I hope you’ll find endless inspiration to keep writing the iconic story of Adelaide’s West End – bold, creative, and unmistakably ZIG.

Taren Hocking

Outgoing President
Adelaide West End Association
@adelaidewestend | #adelaidewestend