International Qantas pilot Georg Bobbert has been crafting his own beer for around 12 years and decided to follow his passion when Australian borders closed.

His brew, The Barrell Shepherd, will be a barrel-aged blend or "sour" beer, similar to many drunk in Europe (like one of his favourites Gueuzerie Tilquin), and made at 16 Bellambi Lane.

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"Initially it was a good way to make beer on the cheap and I got into the science of it," Mr Bobbert said.

"I started experimenting with yeast harvesting and wild ferments; getting sap from trees, picking flowers, and placing wort in random places to gather wild yeast to ferment the beer."

He described the lengthy process as an artist painting works on canvas, with each aged barrel a different colour pot.

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As for sharing a space in the old King Gee factory with other creative minds, it's only going to flow into his brew.

"Just having people who are trying to be creative in what we're doing, and I think creativity feeds off creativity, so it's nice to have that energy," he said.

Rising Arts Productions, who are heavily involved in the Illawarra comedy scene, are taking the plunge of running their first theatre in the space.

Despite a global pandemic hindering the entertainment industry, creative director Jarrod Riesinger said the company was proving quite successful.

"Our last show was the Comedy Olympics ... and it ended up selling out the Wollongong Town Hall," he said.

"It seemed like everyone wanted more from us so it gave us that confidence to try and make it a full time thing and really expand our horizons."

Theatre 16 will be used like a comedy club with open mic and improv (improvised comedy) nights, as well as showing "experimental" plays and hosting regular workshops.

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Award-winning artist Nicole Kelly said her landlord was a "gem" as there were so many more "profitable" entities that could reside in there.

"It's pretty amazing really, to have that opportunity to have artists and creatives be able to access a space like that," Miss Kelly said.

"There's good people in the world."

Miss Kelly said she was excited to move her workshop into the warehouse as she could easily create the large-scale works she loves, as well as be amongst similar minds.

"I've come from a studio where I was working by myself and I think when you're in a space with cross discipline there's so much room for inspiration and conversation and expansion."