Re-establishing creative production in Melbourne's CBD: Learnings from a precinct-collective approach

Turning Circle Collective formed in mid-2020 to investigate opportunities for re-establishing creative production in Melbourne’s CBD. Even then in the early days of the pandemic, it appeared there would be increasing and ongoing vacancies in office and retail spaces as rolling lockdowns forced a new acceptance of working from home. Previous down cycles in Melbourne’s economic life demonstrate precedents for creative businesses stepping into vacant spaces in response to discounted rents. We saw this as a mechanism for growing new local economies and initiated a precinct-led intervention focused on four blocks bounded by William, Collins and Queens Streets and the Yarra River.

From the outset, the project was conceived with a long-term view of 7 to 10 years. It was quickly evident, transformation would occur as a result of incremental changes over time and with the existing neighbourhood partnering in the process. Turning Circle Collective, with the Immigration Museum (our key local, cultural anchor) began an open-ended dialogue and Neighbourhood Circle was the 'organisation' that emerged – an innovative grouping of precinct residents, small and large businesses from different industries, landowners and state government institutions.

The importance of partnerships and conversations

These collaborative dialogues were deepened by regular 'afternoon teas', facilitated by Neighbourhood Circle at the Immigration Museum, where all interested parties were invited to participate, contribute and observe. The ability to link into existing ‘outside’ networks of each group further broadcast Neighbourhood Circle’s ambitions, and in 2022 attracted one of the Committee for Melbourne’s 2022-23 'Future Focus Group' project teams, interested in developing a pilot project with Neighbourhood Circle. The dialogue process provided a structure for the strategic and dynamic 15-month partnership that followed.

Initially, this partnership reaffirmed the 2020 principles, which shape what and how the process operates. These focus on being self-organising, inclusive, committing to creative production, experimentation and small-scale interventions, building a self-sustaining governance model, advocating for neighbourhood benefits, and building partnerships.

Following research into local and international examples of community-led models, a new governance model was formed to operationalise and materialise the ambitions and principles of the diverse groups engaging in the transformation. At its centre was an Executive and Sustainability Committee (EaST).

Meeting since early 2023, membership of Neighbourhood Circle’s Executive and Sustainability Committee (EaST) includes Turning Circle Collective, Immigration Museum, RMIT University, Moral Fairground, resident groups, landlords, small business and creative enterprise. The aim to include as many neighbourhood voices in the discussion and process as possible is deliberately ambitious, bringing together residents, small and large businesses across a range of industries, landowners, and state institutions all with differing priorities and expectations.

The project team created a new Neighbourhood Circle website and a series of hyper-local prototype walking tours with a post-experience survey which invited participants to engage with ideas of neighbourhood identity, challenges and future priorities for the area including the desire for creative spaces, beautification and restoration, the promotion of history and sustainability through support for local artisans, traders and small businesses. These results produced the beginnings of a process that we have embraced as further work in the near future.

Impacts within the precinct

Precinct Activation

Activating the precinct has and will take many forms. A weekly evening events program was delivered during the winter months in 2023. Supported by City of Melbourne, a diverse program of digital stories from the neighbourhood, workshops, walking tours, pop-up markets, music, food, film showings, book launches, and music and entertainment was implemented with numerous precinct partners. It was challenging to attract audiences on wintery mid-week evenings (part of the conditions of the grant), and highlighted the conundrum when the impact priorities of available government grants may not match the priorities we’ve identified for the precinct - even when there appears to be alignment of ambitions for the city’s future.

Leveraging proposed investment in Melbourne’s Greenline Project

Our ongoing engagement with the Greenline Project since its inception in 2021 has positioned the precinct and the Immigration Museum as a key connection point between the Greenline and the CBD, leveraging the historical and heritage values of the precinct and aligning this major infrastructure investment to local knowledge and community aspirations. This is now formally documented within the Greenline Master Plan.

Emerging creative enterprises

Our initial ambitions for re-establishing creative production were influenced by the assumption that the increase in hybrid work and preference for non-CBD work hubs would put downward pressure on demand for CBD office space. As has been widely reported, this has been a phenomenon in cities nationally and internationally [2].

Vacancy space audits were undertaken in September 2022 and October 2023. The most recent analysis indicates the precinct has a 20% office vacancy rate, compared with the Melbourne CBD average of 16% [4]. Through the audit, the emergence of industry clusters became apparent and existing creative enterprises were identified and invited into the Neighbourhood Circle process. Project 8, a new contemporary art space, itself a partnership between the landlord and University of Melbourne’s VCA, Visual Art School. Project 8 has become an active member of Neighbourhood Circle and the strength of this relationship is reflected in their ability to sit across multiple participant groups, being both a creative business and a landlord.

Addressing the lack of resources

A lack of financial resources creates a more haphazard working timetable, as the project becomes everyone’s side hustle, rather than primary focus. As we continue, deciding where it's most appropriate and valuable to spend time and energy is critical – both to stir the passion of those involved and to ensure we are not duplicating work being done by others.

The City of Melbourne’s Neighbourhood initiatives, for example, could complement what Neighbourhood Circle's community-led approach has identified as priorities and be part of an ongoing dialogue and partnership approach.

Learning from a community-led approach to urban transformation

Forming partnerships is essential for designing interventions for change. As we have seen already, a strategic and dynamic process can deliver substantial and innovative outcomes. While working with limited financial resources continues to be challenging, impacting the pace with which priorities can be actioned, the Turning Circle model has demonstrated early benefits from a community-led, precinct approach.

Leveraging this model to achieve our original ambitions for re-establishing creative production in Melbourne's CBD means prioritising from here:

• Re-engagement with major landlords and businesses in the precinct
• Further community engagement as a pathway to unpacking neighbourhood identity
• Building on the precinct activation program
• Developing a graduate designer program to support transition into the first years of professional practice
• Developing a business case for landlords to consider potential creative tenancies

There was never doubt that transformational change would take time and patience. This is challenging for some of our partners working with similar priorities but seeking outcomes on shorter timelines. There is a need to continue to evolve our cross-organisational, collaborative model knowing that these differences exist, and to keep this innovative and inclusive model focused on successful urban transformation.