The brainchild of artist and Liberal councillor Leigh Colacino, the new Wollongong City Council pilot program will allow local creatives to rent out cheap studio space in the lower town hall, which has been vacant since 2008.

‘‘I was aware of the space being vacant and sitting there doing nothing, so we thought we’d get it up as a pilot scheme to see how it goes,’’ Cr Colacino said.

‘‘There’s one artist in there now and one moving in next week, with enough space for it to go to six artists.’’

Each artist will pay $10 a week to use their studio, and will be allowed to remain in the space as long as they meet the council’s requirements, he said.

‘‘It will be good for these artists, because they can feed off each other and not work in isolation,’’ he said.

‘‘We don’t want to dictate what they do, because this is a trial, but I would hope there’d eventually be workshops or walking tours so people can see these artists at work,’’ he said.

‘‘The artists can also come out here, into the plaza, to do their art so that will activate the area.’’

As well as bringing more visitors to the arts precinct, Cr Colacino hoped having artists in residence would help link the growing eastern part of the city to Crown Street Mall.

‘‘I’d really like to see pop-up galleries filling these spaces too, but for now this is a really good way of filling this space, it doesn’t cost any money and doesn’t take away from any of the retail in Crown Street Mall.

‘‘It will link the city with the new buildings going up at the Oxford and Dwyers sites, and give people something to do in the city that isn’t just shopping.’’