Inside Clyde St Arts’ first monthly Repair Cafe

Photo by Lee Illfield

Clyde St Arts is strengthening its commitment to sustainability and community collaboration with the launch of a monthly Repair Café—inviting locals to rediscover the value of repairing, sharing skills and reducing waste.

Kicking off on Friday 1 May, the Repair Café offers a hands-on experience where visitors can bring broken or worn items and work alongside skilled volunteers to fix them. From faulty appliances and torn garments to bikes and household objects, each item is matched with a repairer who guides the process, encouraging conversation, learning and collaboration.

Rather than simply fixing items for people, the focus is on repairing together. Visitors are invited to observe, ask questions and build practical skills they can take home. What might seem beyond repair is often resolved with a simple adjustment or replacement part—making the experience both surprising and empowering.

At its core, the initiative supports a circular economy—keeping materials in use for longer through repair, reuse and creative repurposing. By extending the life of everyday items, the community can collectively reduce waste, save money and rethink consumption habits.

The program draws on a growing network of collaborators including Upcycle Newcastle, SparkHaus, Reclaimed Commons, The Full Circle Collective, The Creator Incubator, hospitality waste consultant Bec Bowie and Newcastle Bicycle Workshop, who bring expertise across upcycling, textiles, bike repair and technical skills. It's also a chance to bring the kids and their plastic toys to see Co-Founder of Resourceful Living Jess Hodge who will show them how to deconstruct their nerf gun - a cool DIY project to keep them off your living room floor, transforming the Repair Café into a space to meet makers, exchange knowledge and explore creative solutions.

This local initiative also reflects a broader national shift toward repair culture. The 2025 Australian Repair Summit highlighted the growing importance of the Right to Repair movement, particularly in response to electronic waste—now Australia’s fastest-growing waste stream. Community-led initiatives like the Clyde St Arts Repair Café offer a practical, accessible way to bring these ideas into everyday life.

“When people repair something themselves—even with a bit of guidance—it changes the way they see the object and their relationship to it,” says Leanna Pugliese of SparkHaus. “It’s not just about fixing what’s broken. It’s about building confidence, sharing knowledge and creating a culture where we value what we have and feel empowered to keep it in use.”

Clyde St Arts Repair Cafe

Friday 1 May, 4-7pm      

Registrations for items open Wed 22 April via Humanitix.

Find out more at 50clydestart.com.au