Let's create art in Alma Park
Be part of an exciting project in Alma Park, St Kilda.
Help transform this blank, O initiative fountain into an amazing piece of art. 
What is the O initiative?
We collaborate with people and artists to create beautiful pieces of art that function as water refilling stations, reducing the need for single use plastic water bottles.
How it works...
Behind the scenes at the O initiative, we get companies and councils to partner with us to fund, install, and maintain O fountains. Then we hand the O fountain over to you, the people, to take ownership of the blank canvas and transform it into a unique piece of local art.
When we replicate this over and over again we will turn the O initiative into a global movement; reducing plastic waste from bottled water and creating the largest open air gallery in the world. And it all starts in Alma Park at the weekly Hank Marvin Market.
What's in it for you...
This collaboration will result in a sculpture, public art, and water refilling station for you to enjoy in Alma Park when you go for a walk, visit the market, or have a picnic with friends. Furthermore, as you are contributing to the art, you will have the opportunity to vote for your favorite artist.
What we’ve got ...
For the launch of the O initiative and our very FIRST fountain, we already have the amazing support of:
- Zip Water, who will fund the O fountain
- The City of Port Phillip, who will install and maintain the fountain
- Taubmans, who will provide paint for the artist
- Hank Marvin Market who are helping us in getting the word out.
What we need...
At the O initiative we want to reward artists for the amazing work they create. So to make this happen we are asking you, local peeps, Almavillians and Hank Marvin market lovers, to pitch in to help raise the $1,500 artist fee. The additional $250 is required for GoFundMe transaction fees.
What's next...
As soon as we have reached the $1,750 target we will put out an official ‘Call for Artist’. When all entries are in, the following steps will happen:
1. A panel consisting of a community member, an art expert as well as the public arts officer of the City of Port Phillip will shortlist three artist finalist.
2. We will invite you, the co-funders of the art to vote your favorite artist.
3. The selected artist will create the masterpiece on-site on one of the Hank Marvin Market days.
The aim is to pull this off by mid to late February 2017.
More about the O initiative...
The O initiative is about changing the way we drink tap water in public spaces and offering an attractive alternative to wasteful plastic bottled water. Rather than expecting local governments to provide public drinking fountains, we are initiating a partnership between the people, public, and private sectors. When we all collaborate and co-create we can tackle plastic pollution in our oceans, in particular the waste of plastic water bottles.
About me…
Hi, I am Gretha, I live in 'Almaville' and am the creator of the O initiative. Since reading Anita Roddick’s book Troubled Water in 2006, I have been working passionately to answer the question: "Why is it that we drink so much bottled water?” I started by designing a fancy water bottle (321 Water) that was featured in The Hunger Games and now I've created the O fountain; a sculpture that is both public art and a water refilling station. All this, with one objective; to reduce plastic pollution in our oceans. After 3-years of hustling, developing, and refining the concept, it is all coming together. Not only is the first O fountain in production, we also have some amazing partners on board to kickstart the O initiative as a global movement right here in St Kilda.
It will be so good when you can be part of it.
The O Initiative partners are:
