THE former manager of Adelaide’s Rundle Street mall has launched a new campaign that’ll both promote Fremantle’s artists while ridding the city’s shops of negative “for lease” signs.

Colin Nichol, a former pirate radio DJ star who hung out with the Beatles in the 60s and now lives in Bibra Lake, has roped in major property owner Silverleaf Investments for the project. This week Silverleaf manager Chris Anderson approved the installation of giant merino Rambo in the Woolstores Shopping Centre, and says from next week other vacant shops his company owns around town will also start to feature pop-up exhibitions.

• Silverleaf manager Chris Anderson, sculptor Greg James and former market manager Colin Nichol with Rambo in the Woolstores. Photo by Steve Grant

Rambo is the creation of J Shed sculptor Greg James, and while artists from the Bathers Beach Arts Precinct such as photographers Glen Cowans and Peter Zuvela, and ceramicist Jenny Dawson are being featured in the first installations, Mr Nichol says he wants the initiative eventually to be open for all local artists.

Mr Nichol says too many “for lease” signs are a bad image for Fremantle and landlords can get the same message across a little more subtly.

Art exhibitions are a much better drawcard, and he hopes other landlords will catch on and expand the initiative.

by STEVE GRANT