Grist is a project by community arts group ACT Natimuk that will repurpose a field bin into a moveable multipurpose arts and hospitality space - and was one of many projects the group was set to premiere at the Frinj festival.

Although the festival has been cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions, the artist behind the project, Dave Jones, has still been working on bringing the concept to life.

ACT Natimuk general manager Tracey Skinner said the portable venue had a variety of different uses, and the group was looking to provide Grist to other community organisations in lieu of Nati Frinj.

"We have the idea of a portable venue, Natimuk has some funny, quirky places that we have used in Frinj, but some of that can be dependent on restrictions," she said.

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"So we thought we could have this portable venue that we could actually move around to some of the outdoor spaces.

"A portable venue that could be used for all sorts of things, being a performance itself that happens within the field bin, or it could be music sent out, it could be a place to eat. Whatever we might need it for, and other community groups might need it for.

"It is a field bin, which speaks beautifully to the agricultural history and farming history of the area. It has awnings which lift up, it has got a floor. When it is all closed up it looks like a field bin, but when we lift it up we have this space inside. We can move it wherever we need to move it, which would be perfect for Frinj."

ACT Natimuk received Victorian government funding for the project in February 2021, and work started on the field bin soon after.

After a brief hiatus due to other commitments and COVID-19 restrictions, Mr Jones returned to work on the project in July.

Ms Skinner said Grist would also house projectors, which would be utilised during events in the town.

"Also, because ACT Natimuk has a history with projections, we wanted it also to be able to house projectors in there, with the idea that we could project back onto the soldiers memorial hall, the silos, or wherever," she said.

"It is going to be a bit of a projector housing, but also this space that we can use in a multitude of ways."

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, it was unclear when Grist would make its first public appearance.

Ms Skinner said the cancellation of Nati Frinj had not affected the build time of the project and hoped to see Grist at a community event in late- 2021.

Funding for the project was made available through Regional Arts Victoria's Boost Recovery grant.

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