Public space is more than just somewhere to sit or wander through – it is an invaluable resource for connection, learning, entertainment, protest, commemoration and celebration. It is a place where community comes together. But as Melbourne transforms, so too should the way we define and use these spaces.

Through a partnership between City of Melbourne, Open House Melbourne and Fed Square, the inaugural Melbourne Conversations event for 2025 – This Is Public… Space – unpacks the ever-evolving role of public space in our city. From landmark projects like the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation Project to grassroots urban interventions and our footpaths and plazas, this expert panel explores how these dynamic constants can foster everything from democracy, social inclusion to climate resilience.

Moderated by Walkley award-winning journalist Dr Jeff Sparrow, join Associate Director at OCULUS, Claire Martin; Director and CEO of Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation, Katrina Sedgwick OAM; Chair of Architecture and Urban Design at the University of Melbourne, Dr Kim Dovey; and Associate Principal at Jackson Clements Burrows Architects, Sarah Lynn Rees, as they challenge conventional thinking on what makes a space truly public.

Melburnians, this is your city — This Is Public… Space.

This is Public… Space is presented by City of Melbourne in partnership with program curators Open House Melbourne and event partner Fed Square.