A band performing on stage with colorful lighting. Musicians are wearing quirky costumes, sunglasses, and accessories, playing various instruments and singing.
Gold foil balloons spelling out "E HAPPY", attached to pink strings, against a blue background.
MUSIC
People viewing colorful artwork and cut-out plant decorations in an art gallery or museum.
A group of men and women gathered around a dining table for a meal, with candles and bottles on the table, in a room with wooden paneled walls.
A large crowd seated in a dimly lit room with orange patterned lighting on the walls, and a structure showing illuminated text or scribbles.
A group of people, including children and adults, sitting in a circle, playing guitars and drums, in a bright room with green decorations on the wall.
People sitting and standing outside a falafel shop on a city street in black and white, with signs advertising falafel and other food options.
A man with a guitar and a woman singing into a microphone on stage.
A woman hugging two young girls outdoors, smiling at the camera, with other people in the background.
Crowd of LGBTQ+ pride parade participants holding rainbow flags and rainbow-colored signs, celebrating, amid city buildings and festive atmosphere.
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JAQ, the acronym for the Jewish Arts Quarter
Text graphic that reads, "A new home for Jewish life and culture in Melbourne."
An architectural render of JAQ, the Jewish Arts Quarter, a modern Jewish precinct which will house the Jewish Museum of Australia: Gandel Centre of Judaica and the Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library.

Architects impression of JAQ

JAQ will be an inclusive destination that celebrates Jewish arts and culture with great museum experiences, art, theatre, education, learning, music, food, shopping and new public spaces for everyone.

A Slice of Jewish Life

This bold and transformative project will provide a public space where we can celebrate, educate, connect and preserve Jewish heritage and identity through contemporary Jewish life and culture in all its forms.

Born from a spirit of collaboration, JAQ brings together Melbourne’s Jewish leading cultural institutions into one vibrant hub, providing a vital and creative communal facility and an engaging and dynamic home for Jewish life.

“I am incredibly proud to be able to get behind this once in a lifetime opportunity. The positive impact the Jewish Arts Quarter will have on culture, the local economy, tourism and employment in the city of Melbourne, the state of Victoria and the entire Australian community is exemplary and will benefit all for decades to come. ”

— Mr John Gandel AC

Chairman of Gandel Foundation

Spearheaded by the Jewish Museum of Australia: Gandel Centre of Judaica and Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library, JAQ will be the home of these and many other cultural institutions, forming a dynamic hub of creativity, culture and connection.

In crafting a world-class arts and cultural hub, JAQ is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to create a new, significant Jewish destination on Melbourne’s colourful and diverse cultural map.

Your passion and support are critical in helping transform this dream into a reality.

Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library.
JAQ renders

“We’re looking for a contemporary vision for the building, but one that’s timeless. It is housing organisations that have an incredible history. And we’re looking for them to have an incredible future. JAQ will be a place that you come back to again and again.”

— James Pearce

Partner, Fender Katsalidis Architects

Fender Katsalidis (FK) Architecture firm logo

JAQ - A Cultural Landmark in the Heart of Elsternwick

Delivery of the Jewish Arts Quarter in Elsternwick will be the catalyst for social cohesion and seeks to promote community-based principles of inclusivity and collaboration, resulting in an important place for learning, connection, preservation and inspiration.

Designed by Australia’s leading architecture firm Fender Katsalidis (who also designed MONA and New Quay Melbourne), JAQ will become a prominent cultural landmark within the municipality that celebrates Jewish heritage and the arts.

Rising seven floors above-ground with two subterranean basement levels, JAQ will house a multipurpose performing arts auditorium and transformative museum spaces hosting educational opportunities for school groups and other public programs.

Aerial view of a Melbourne neighborhood with labels marking various locations including Melbourne CBD, Ripponlea Estate, Habonim Dror, Jewish Museum of Australia, Kadimah, Melbourne Holocaust Museum, Classic Cinema, Glen Huntly Road Shops & Restaurants, Elsternwick Train Station

“The Jewish Arts Quarter is an initiative of national significance to celebrate Jewish arts and culture in Victoria. We are excited to support the incredible vision that is making this precinct both a reality and a legacy of enduring significance for the people of Australia.”

— John Peterson

CEO, Multicultural Museums Victoria

10,000sqm within Elsternwick’s Cultural Precinct, the energised community hubs of JAQ will draw year round crowds, offering a unique cultural emersion into contemporary Jewish life and culture.

  • Jewish Museum of Australia: Gandel Centre of Judaica

  • Kadimah Jewish Cultural Centre and National Library

  • Kadimah Yiddish Theatre

  • Kadimah Yiddish Radio

  • Educational and learning spaces

  • Creative arts and music studios

  • Performing Arts Theatre

  • Co-working facilities

  • Activated public spaces

  • English, Hebrew and Yiddish library

  • Retail shops

  • Cafes and kiosks

  • Event spaces

  • Meeting rooms

Map of Jewish Arts Quarter showing key buildings, streets, and zones including the Holocaust Museum, community hub, creative studios, food zones, and a cinema, with nearby train station and retail hub marked.

“The JAQ project has the potential to transform and revitalise Elsternwick into a vibrant cultural destination that celebrates Jewish life in Melbourne. The JAQ project is a celebration of Jewish history in Victoria and provides cross‐cultural understanding and appreciation of the rich Jewish history in Melbourne, unifying the broader cross‐cultural community.”

— Rebecca McKenzie

CEO, Glen Eira City Council

  • Multipurpose Space

    For education, conferences & community celebrations.

  • Streetscape

    Public space for festivals, activations & pop-up stalls and installations.

  • Educational Space

    Annually supporting over 100,000 student museum visits.

  • Performing Arts Facilties

    State-of-the-art venue for plays, music & performances.

  • Exhibition Space

    Caters for a 50% uplift in anticipated museum visitation.

  • Co-working Facilities

    For non-profit organisations, emerging, mid-tier and established artists, Jewish cultural institutions and more.

“JAQ is a project that means a lot to us here in Victoria. It's not just a cultural space but a place that celebrates the Jewish community's heritage and opens the door for everyone to experience and appreciate Jewish arts, music, food and history.

It's a step towards a more inclusive and vibrant community, reflecting Victoria's values of multiculturalism and respect. ”

— Hon Jacinta Allan MP

Premier of Victoria

📸 Dean Schmideg

“Melbourne could get its own Jewish Lygon Street, showcasing the diaspora’s art, history and culture in the city’s south.”

— The Age

Enduring Benefits for the

Jewish and Wider Community

  • Arts & Culture Hub

    Arts & Culture Hub

    Live music, theatre, exhibitions, festivals

  • For All Australians

    For All Australians

    Open, inclusive, multicultural

  • Jewish Heritage

    Jewish Heritage

    A celebration of Jewish life, history, and creativity

  • Iconic Location

    Iconic Location

    In the heart of the Elsternwick Cultural Precinct

  • Destination Precinct

    Destination Precinct

    Food, retail, public spaces, community

  • Bold Vision

    Bold Vision

    Australia's first dedicated Jewish cultural precinct

  • Going Green

    Going Green

    Environmentally sustainable design

  • Social Cohesion

    Social Cohesion

    Promote multi-faith dialogue

  • State of the Art

    State of the Art

    Designed by MONA Architects, Fender Katsalidis

  • Funding

    Funding

    A partnership between Local, State & Federal Government & Philanthropy

  • Boost Economy

    Boost local jobs, interstate & international tourism

  • Your Impact

    Your Impact

    Help create a cultural legacy for generations to come

Two women leaning over a table, examining and discussing a colorful, ornate textile artifact housed in a display case, with one woman wearing blue gloves.

“Australia is a proudly multicultural nation. We will commit $18 million towards ensuring the Jewish Arts Quarter will be there to celebrate our diversity and the contributions of Jewish Australians for generations to come… Attracting visitors from interstate and overseas to Victoria, the Jewish Arts Quarter will be the home for exhibitions of international and cultural significance.”

— Hon. Richard Marles MP

Deputy Prime Minister

“Now more than ever, we need projects like JAQ to foster understanding and tolerance, educate children and adults from across the State and bring people together... JAQ promises to be a dynamic centre of activity and a welcomed addition to the cultural tapestry of Melbourne, further supporting local businesses and driving tourism.”

– David Southwick MP

Member for Caulfield

JAQ News

Outdoor concert with multiple performers on stage, including vocalists, guitarists, keyboardists, and percussionists, with a large crowd of diverse attendees watching. There is a colorful backdrop with Hebrew text.

“At a time when we are witnessing a significant rise in antisemitism and other forms of racism, and when community divisions are threatening the very fabric of our society, infrastructure projects such as the Jewish Arts Quarter offer a vital platform for fostering healing, education, connection and communal growth within the Australian community.”

— Vivienne Nguyen AM

Chairperson, Victorian Multicultural Commission

Videos

“As a multidisciplinary artist deeply engaged with film, fine art, and music, and someone who actively works with Jewish content, I want to express my utmost support for the Jewish Arts Quarter. The concept of housing multiple creative bases, along with museums and galleries, within a single space is truly groundbreaking. It provides an unprecedented platform for Jewish creative legacies to flourish and thrive. Such a space would not only foster collaboration and innovation but also serve as a beacon for Jewish artists, both established and emerging, to find inspiration and share their unique perspectives.”

— Anita Lester
Multidisciplinary Artist & Filmmaker

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“I strongly believe this project will have a profound impact on promoting cultural diversity and inclusivity; supporting the arts sector and local business; and enhancing the quality of life for our constituents.”

— Josh Burns

Federal Member for Macnamara