33: Hall

The Hall is the heart of the community. Beginning life as a gymnasium, for over 40 years, Saint Mark’s has run a Community Centre to serve the people of Fitzroy. Currently it is here that the drop-in centre runs. This program supports community members experiencing primary and secondary homelessness in the City of Yarra and the City of Melbourne.

On the wall find the community centre installation – Connecting

In 2023 and 2024, Creative Art Therapist Melanie Knight worked with visitors to the Community Centre and volunteers from the St Mark’s parish to create a mural that now lives in the St Mark’s Community Centre.

Inspired by mural artist Jen Stark, Melanie ran a fortnightly creative art therapy drop-in where visitors could sit alongside her, create their own individual artwork, and share a conversation. Each artwork became an integral contribution to the larger mural project. The mural, in turn, connects and celebrates each unique piece — it would not exist without them.

Melanie prepared pre-cut, blank ‘drip’-shaped pieces of paper for participants to decorate and design in their own way. She then carefully collated these works into a collective wall mural displayed in the Centre.

These pieces embody the many stories and conversations shared — reflections on daily life, background journeys, and moments of connection — all told within a safe and welcoming environment.