FB IDEAs

The Gladstone Residency & Collaboration

Transforming Space | Engaging Community | Art & Design in Dialogue

In April 2025, Romulus Folio launched a landmark collaboration with FB IDEAs and The Gladstone in South Melbourne. Together, we transformed the ground‑floor retail space at The Gladstone (15‑85 Gladstone Street) into a dynamic studio‑gallery‑hub designed to activate the heart of the Fishermans Bend precinct.

What This Collaboration Does

  • Innovation: the project brings together exhibitions, open‑studio access, workshops and site‑specific works that blur the lines between art, design and architecture.  

  • Community Connection: Working in partnership with FB IDEAs and The Gladstone residents, the program invites local engagement, free or discounted workshops for residents, artist‑talks, and opportunities to experience contemporary art in the everyday.  

  • Sustainability & Material Transformation: A key focus is on material reuse and creative experimentation. Projects repurpose used canvases, shipping pallets, canvasess and other reclaimed surfaces—integrating texture and narrative into each work.  

  • Cross‑disciplinary Dialogue: The collaboration highlights how visual art and spatial/design practice meet. Through this residency at The Gladstone, Romulus Folio presents a model of how gallery, studio and public space converge.  

Studio & Gallery Activation

Visitors and residents alike are invited to participate in this living space:

  • A working studio + gallery zone where creation happens out in the open and the process itself becomes part of the exhibition.  

  • Public programs including palette‑knife painting workshops, kids‑colour sessions, artist‑talks and monthly exhibitions, all designed to welcome new publics.  

  • A fully accessible venue: wheelchair accessible, low‑sensory friendly, seating provided.  

Why It Matters

This collaboration is more than a residency—it is a cultural activation of a new precinct; a signal that art can be embedded in community, design, daily life and place‑making. The partnership with FB IDEAs allows Romulus Folio to move beyond the traditional gallery model, offering transparency, access and engagement. As Scott Ross writes:

“Having a bricks‑and‑mortar space has allowed Romulus Folio to present as a gallery in a tangible, embodied, activating the space with thoughtful design, curation and presence.” 

What’s Next

Stay tuned for upcoming exhibitions at The Gladstone, new works from the residency, further community‑workshops, open‑studio sessions and special collaborations where art meets design and place.

Subscribe to our mailing list, or check our Events page for the latest.

Location:

Ground Floor, The Gladstone — 15‑85 Gladstone Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205

Gallery & Studio Hours:

Wed–Fri 12pm–7pm | Sat–Sun 12pm–6pm (by appointment outside these hours)