Julia Street Creative Space

CEMA (Council for Encouragement of Music and the Arts) is a volunteer arts organisation in Portland, Victoria, Australia. In July 2015 it celebrated 70 years of continuous activity. CEMA inc. operates as an "umbrella" organisation for a number of arts interest groups. Groups enjoy meeting at two Glenelg Shire owned venues; Portland Arts Centre and Julia Street Creative Space.

Groups which meet at the Portland Arts Centre:
CEMA Belly Dance Group
Poetry Reading Group
CEMA Theatre Group
Portland Historical Group

Groups which meet at Julia Street Creative Space-
Portland Artists' Society
Portland bay press
Leadlighters' Guild
Pioneer Quilters and Fibre
Portland Woodturners' Guild

Early CEMA members worked hard to raise money and lobby for an Arts centre in Portland. The dream became a reality in 1974 with the opening of the CEMA Arts Centre. The building was renamed in 2005 as the Portland Arts Centre.

The need for a home for visual arts groups was recognised and The Arts Company was opened in 1995. This complex which includes a retail outlet for artists works, workshop space and artist accommodation was recently renamed Julia Street Creative Space.