Loophole Community Centre

Loophole is an umbrella organisation providing a home to a wide array of arts and humanities projects. These currently include Food Not Bombs, Ceres Food Connect, Sharehood, Transition Darebin, Rad Kids Play Group, Free Bike Work Shop, Barricade Bookshop, Stepping Up, Otesha, Approtech, Buff Club, Edible Veg, Seed Swappers, Sew Radical Craft Group, Rad Choir, and many other local, community initiatives.

We provide work experience opportunities for volunteers, food distribution for the homeless, a Women and Children’s Space, free library, bookshop, free shop (for free clothes, blankets and children’s toys), free café, free wireless Internet access, bike workshop, a community permaculture garden, community theatre rehearsal space, exhibition space, facilities for film screenings, and a supportive venue for local musicians, dancers and performers.

Loophole offers a range of free classes including languages—ESL and Mandarin, community violence response workshops, skill sharing, improvisation/music, bike maintenance, horticulture, yoga classes, palates, self defence, arts and crafts workshops, post-peak resilience economics, and much more.

We are non-denominational, intergenerational, non-hierarchical, not-for-profit, wheelchair accessible and rely on zero government funding. We’ve paid our rent, given everything for free and asked for nothing in return except that people never stop imagining a more ethical existence.

 

.... AND NOW THIS: After long and drawn out negotiations with the real estate agents of an uncompromising landlord:

LOOPHOLE HAS BEEN SERVED AN EVICTION NOTICE FOR JUNE 11TH, 2012.

LOOPHOLE IS AT EXTREME RISK OF BECOMING HOMELESS!
We are turning to you in desperate need of assistance.

 

What can I do to help?
Lots! Here’s a list of examples, but don’t feel limited, please feel free to come up with you own ideas and act upon them:

  • LOOPHOLE NEEDS A PLACE TO MOVE INTO, so if you know of any empty spaces with a kind, reasonable and community spirited owner, especially if you are that owner, please contact us.
  • We are looking ASAP for an aspiring film-maker to shoot a documentary while these few weeks unfold.
  • In the interim, we are in dire need of STORAGE SPACES to temporarily house components of the centre (eg bike workshop, library, etc)
  • ALTERNATE SPACES where user groups can temporarily relocate, eg) Food Not Bombs, Rad Play Group, Rad Choir, Sew radical etc
  • Donations of HANDS and hearts to help with all aspects of MOVING
  • MONEY, stop in or donate online. Moving is expensive.
  • WRITE A LETTER, SIGN PETITION AND GET ON THE PHONE
  • COME TO OUR EXHIBITION on June 8th, buy rad art, get inspired and keep our Loophole open.
  • DROP IN, stop by, show us some love...

Thanks and blessings to all our volunteers, patrons and everyone who has supported and continues to support Loophole over the years. You made our community centre a castle.