This includes renovation projects for our cultural facilities, including Newcastle Region Library's Wallsend branch and Newcastle Museum.

Wallsend Library will be closed throughout August for the floors to be refurbished.

However, both Beresfield and Hamilton libraries will be operating for extended hours during the Wallsend closure and all branch opening hours are on the library's website.

Newcastle Museum's Fire and Earth Gallery (the BHP and Coal exhibitions) has also closed for six months for refurbishing.

The museum cafe has also closed for renovations and will reopen in August, but you can still grab a snack and a drink at the coffee cart in the museum.

Another initiative contributing to upgrading community infrastructure across Newcastle is the council's Make Your Place grant program.

If you've been thinking about how to spruce up your favourite Newcastle public space, I encourage you to form a team, develop a proposal and apply now for funding for your project.

The program provides grants up to $2000 (inc GST) for community initiatives including creative and cultural projects, community events, and greening projects.

Recent examples include the Newcastle Vintage Tweed Ride, the interactive headphones sculpture on Darby Street, murals in Beresfield and Wickham, Merewether dunes vegetation and the Congolese Multicultural Festival.

Applications for the current round of the Make Your Place grant program close on Monday, August 10.

Visit the council's website at newcastle.nsw.gov.au for more information and an application.