Mornington Peninsula Magazine MARCH - Fantastic Frankston Feature

Peninsula artist Morano’s striking Urban Capsules artwork took shape as part of a unique ‘live mural’ experience at Frankston Arts Centre’s Cube 37. As Morano painted his mural on the Glass Cube Gallery rear wall, patrons were able to watch him from Davey St.

“The body of work I have been doing lately is a juxtaposition of memories of urban landscapes and the people who live there,” Morano says. “My process is always very impulsive and a lot of it comes from the unconscious. For me, in my practice, showing the process is one of the most important things – being exposed, vulnerable and being myself.” Urban Capsules embodies the artist’s creativity and invites viewers to immerse themselves in the chaos of his process. With all their senses assaulted, viewers can find meaning framed through their own experiences. Morano’s paintings gain energy and momentum as viewers find references and stories that reflect their own emotions. Morano was born in Barcelona, and drawing and painting became a way to express emotions and connect to his inner being. As a kid, painting on the streets started to become an obsession. He was drawn to graffiti and was heavily influenced by the illustrations of vinyl covers and skate graphics. At 13, he started to make his first murals, beginning with a mix of lettering and characters but increasingly drawn to figurative scenes. Morano became an active and notorious graffiti artist during the ‘90s, participating in numerous exhibitions and appearing regularly in the independent scene publications. The artwork is on exhibit until March 23, and a time-lapse video of its creation is on FAC’s YouTube channel. Morano is also separately displaying his artworks in the This Town, My Quarter exhibition at the Curved Wall Gallery until April 30. Details: www.hypemorano.com and www.thefac.com.au

Frankston City has joined more than 130 councils across Australia in signing on to the Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership.

Cr Sue Baker said: “The councils involved represent half of Australia’s residents, and this partnership allows us to share knowledge, strategies and information on ways to further reduce greenhouse gas pollution, switch to clean energy and build resilient communities.” Meanwhile, feedback from last year’s Climate Change Community Survey will contribute to the council’s draft Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan, which is expected to be completed by the middle of next year. Cr Claire Harvey said: “Council received 762 responses to the survey, plus over 50 ideas, comments and votes submitted to the Big Ideas Forum, showing a very high level of interest in this issue and that our residents want meaningful action on climate change.” Eighty per cent of survey respondents were ‘extremely concerned’ or ‘very concerned’ about climate change, Cr Harvey said. The council, which declared a climate emergency in November 2019, wrote to Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley and Victorian Energy, Environment and Climate Change Minister Lily D’Ambrosio last April calling on their governments to do the same and to legislate programs to address the emergency. It is also implementing a series of wideranging initiatives in response to the emergency, including: • Replacing fluorescent streetlights with LEDs; • Allocating $125,000 for its Urban Forest Action Plan; • Reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 2.1 per cent (334 tonnes) in 2019-20; • Cuttings its use of mains water by 19.4 per cent, saving 37 million litres; and, • Having five major council centres powered entirely from the Bald Hills Wind Farm.

Frankston City Council is working on a tourism support program to help an industry that was hit hard last year by the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings from a survey carried out late last year are being used to develop the program.

Frankston City councillor Suzette Tayler and Quest Frankston Serviced Apartments general manager Nellie Tinga. According to the survey: • Fifty-eight per cent of businesses stated that their customers – both residents and visitors – asked for information about what to do or where to find things locally; • Businesses would most like support in digital marketing and social media training; and, • Businesses were looking for support to identify and initiate cross-promotion and business-to-business opportunities. Cr Suzette Tayler said: “We realise that local tourism took a major hit in 2020 and we know that many operators are struggling, which is why we have allocated $30,000 of recurrent annual funding in our 2020-2021 Budget for an ongoing support program. “As the first point of contact, it is important that our local businesses are providing services and experiences which support our visitors and residents to enjoy their time in Frankston City,” Cr Tayler said. “From the service provided before they visit to the experience they receive while in Frankston City, each step of the customer journey contributes to the overall Frankston City experience. We want to support our businesses to provide the best service possible to our visitors and residents at each stage of their time with us.” Quest Frankston Serviced Apartments general manager Nellie Tinga welcomed the program. “Our front of house staff are often the first point of contact for guests seeking information on all the things they can see and do while in the area,” Ms Tinga said. “This program will enable us to upskill our staff and ensure we are providing relevant information and quality customer service that meets their needs and interests. We see this program providing opportunities for us to work more collaboratively across industry, cross-promote the experiences, generate new business and contribute to positive visitor experiences that will keep them coming back for more.” Visitors and day-trippers collectively contribute more than $300 million annually to the Frankston City economy.

Street artist Melanie Caple is taking part in Frankston City’s Big Picture Fest 2021.

Move over, Melbourne – Frankston’s street art is getting bigger and better. Leading Australian street artists will transform the Frankston City centre’s skyline at the fourth annual Big Picture Fest. The fest features renowned street artists creating vibrant, edgy and lasting artworks on buildings and in laneways across the Frankston CBD from March 19-21.

Street artist Melanie Caple said she was looking forward excitedly to taking part in this year’s fest. “For the Big Picture Fest I am working with Frankston High School students to develop a large mural, and for it to be successful we are aiming for a high-quality outcome that not only strengthens and extends upon the student artist’s abilities, but also engages the school community and the Frankston community at large,” Melanie said. “Art has the power to inspire and engage and spark dialogue. I also want it to be a marker for the students who paint it, something that instils pride and connection to place.” Schools are taking part in the Big Picture Fest thanks to support from the State Government‘s Suburban Revitalisation Program. For more information and updates, visit www.discoverfrankston.com