Theme: Generous City

The Open House Melbourne Weekend celebrates good design by opening up buildings, places and spaces, inspiring public engagement in conversations about the future of our city.

You are invited to submit an Expression of Interest to participate in the Weekend (24—26 July 2026).

All applications will be reviewed by the Open House Melbourne Building Council together with the Program team.

 

Submission deadline: 11.59pm Sunday 22 February 2026.

A generous city gives more than it takes. It welcomes participation, opens doors and minds and creates space for everyone to belong.

A generous city shares what it has: welcoming public places, buildings that invite participation and infrastructure designed with empathy and equity in mind. It shares knowledge, celebrates diversity and helps us see the city differently.

The Weekend 2026 theme, Generous City explores how design, creativity and architecture can foster a culture of openness, offering space, care and possibility to the people who live, work and play here.

From the dining table to community gardens and cultural hubs, accessible streets and climate-conscious design, generosity can be found in the ways we plan, build and inhabit our shared spaces.

This theme invites us to imagine an urban environment built on care, reciprocity and collective responsibility. It asks us to look closely at how design decisions shape the way generosity is expressed in architecture that prioritises inclusion, in infrastructure that supports care and in public projects that strengthen community.

Through Generous City, Open House Melbourne asks you to explore how we can design a more open, equitable and compassionate city that gives back, looks after one another and makes space for everyone.

We look forward to seeing you on the 2026 program.

Who can apply?

Open House Melbourne invites submissions from organisations or individuals including building owners or custodians, architecture and design practices including urban and landscape designers and community groups who wish to engage directly with public audiences to communicate the importance of good design.

We encourage EOIs from locations across the city and from Melbourne’s suburbs and beyond. Take a look at last year’s program archive to get a better sense of the breadth of programming types and locations.

Whether an individual or organisation, successful applicants become our ‘Collaborators’.

How to Apply

Please make your submission via the online form. If you’re unable to access the form or would like to request an alternative version, please contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

Please be prepared to complete the form in one session. The form will not be saved should you close your browser. We recommend reviewing the form and/or PDF summary and keeping a separate record of your responses as a reference so you can complete the form in one go.

Ensure you have reviewed the EOI Submission Summary, Key Selection Criteria, Collaborator Commitment, key dates timeline and FAQs before making your submission. All submissions need to meet minimum requirements and will be assessed against the Key Selection Criteria by the Open House Melbourne Building Council and curatorial team.

Submission deadline: 11.59pm Sunday 22 February 2026

Apply now

Key Dates Timeline

October 2025: EOI opens—Review the updated submission requirements and get planning with your team!

Wednesday 19 November 2025: Online information session—Hear from us about updates for 2026, tips + tricks and get your questions answered See below for the link to join and in-person sessions thanks to our Precinct Partners. 

Sunday 22 February 2026: EOI closes—Submit via the online form by 11.59pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Friday 13 March 2026: Successful applicants notified via email

Sunday 12 April 2026: Final event details confirmed + registration fee paid

Wednesday 24 June 2026: Open House Melbourne Weekend Program Launch—Celebrate with us!

Friday 24 July—Sunday 26 July 2026: Open House Melbourne Weekend

Weekend 2026 EOI Information Session

Thinking about making a submission or want to learn more about the Open House Melbourne Weekend? Hear from the from the Open House team about updates for 2026, tips and tricks for successful participation and have your questions answered. Past and prospective Collaborators encouraged to join here.

Thanks to our Precinct Partners, Open House Melbourne will be holding special, in-person EOI information sessions. If you are located in one of the following local government areas, come along to learn about the Weekend and meet other prospective Collaborators. Times and locations to be confirmed.

  • Tuesday 25 November—City of Yarra
  • Thursday 27 November—City of Maribyrnong
  • Wednesday 3 December—City of Port Phillip
  • Thursday 4 December—City of Stonnington
  • Tuesday 9 December—City of Melbourne
  • Date TBC—Melbourne Arts Precinct

 

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What's the program format?

The Weekend takes places across 24—26 July 2026.

Submissions may take the form of open access buildings or building tours, walking  or site tours, workshops, panel discussions or talks, films or exhibitions across Melbourne.

Most programs operate either as Open Access while some require Pre-bookings for limited capacity or timed tours. Some have elements of both and programs typically operate between the hours of 9am and 6pm (see more below).

*Participating on Friday must be in addition to your offering on Saturday and/or Sunday rather than in place of. Panel discussions or talks and any events that may have a great industry appeal are well-placed on Friday.

Open Access

Open Access buildings and spaces are drop-in style, open for guided or self-guided tours which are free and do not require pre-booking.

Visitors can simply turn up and take part either by popping in to have a look around and engage with knowledgeable representatives on site—see last year’s offering at Artbank Collection Store—or by joining one of many guided tours offered frequently on a rolling basis, or as required—see Hawthorn Tram Depot or Orica House for a great examples of Open Access programming.  A minimum open time of 6 hours is required. If you normally charge an entrance fee, you are required to waive it for festival participants for the Weekend.

Open Access and Pre-bookings include an open, drop-in style offering plus pre-bookings for limited capacity tour or event components—see last year’s offerings at Abbotsford Convent and Mission Whitten Oval for excellent examples of this format.

Pre-booked or ticketed programs

Pre-bookings are required for some programs with limited capacity or security considerations like residential homes, construction sites or limited capacity tours—see last year’s offering at Fed Square: Behind-the-scenes. A minimum capacity allowance of at least 50 people across the Weekend is required e.g. 2 x tours of 25 pax each.

Open House Melbourne will work with you to assess the structure of your program and decide if your program requires pre-bookings.

All ticketing for pre-booked programs will be managed by Open House Melbourne. A small booking fee of $7 (passed on to visitors) will apply to tickets to contribute to the ticketing administration costs and ensure visitor commitment. Bookings fees are non-refundable.

Collaborators are welcome to cover the booking fee costs in advance if they wish to have no charge for the audience.

Collaborator Commitment

For successful participation on the Open House Melbourne Weekend we expect all Collaborators to:

  • Agree to Collaborator Terms + Conditions;
  • Hold necessary permissions and insurances to undertake the proposed program;
  • Open their building space for a minimum of six hours across the weekend and/or accommodate a minimum capacity of 50 people for events/tours;
  • Have a knowledgeable, responsible person/s onsite to oversee the delivery of the program/event;
  • Submit all required content to meet Open House Melbourne deadlines for print and digital program and logistical planning;
  • Pay applicable registration fee as per the fee structure below by the deadline;
  • Display Open House Melbourne signage onsite during the event;
  • Be prepared to deliver their event in inclement weather, unless the safety of Collaborators, Volunteers and visitors is deemed at risk in consultation with Open House Melbourne;
  • Promote their participation in the Weekend via their marketing channels.

Collaborator Registration Fees

It’s free to submit an Expression of Interest to participate in the Weekend. Successful program submissions, upon acceptance into the Weekend program will incur a registration fee.

Collaborator registration fees ensure we can continue to deliver the much-loved Open House Melbourne Weekend into the future. Registration fees contribute to administration costs, insurance, accessibility services, event management, volunteer recruitment and signage. Fees are payable upon acceptance into the program.

The fee structure, per program, is as follows:

  • $65 inc. GST (individual)
  • $120 inc. GST (not-for-profit, community group)
  • $260 inc. GST (school, for-profit, local government)
  • $440 inc. GST (higher education, State government, developers, property investment and funds management groups)

To discuss a payment plan or any other aspect relating to fees, please contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

Key Selection Criteria

These key selection criteria will guide the curatorial process to determine programs accepted into the Weekend 2026 program.

All submissions need to meet minimum requirements and will be assessed against the Key Selection Criteria by the Open House Melbourne Building Council and curatorial team.

  • Is it award-winning or has it been recognised by professional design peers?
  • Is it innovative, pushing boundaries and/or a great addition to the city?
  • Will it inspire the next generation of design professionals/future urbanists/active citizens?
  • How does it respond to the 2026 theme Generous City?
  • Does it include First Nations Peoples’ knowledges?
  • Is this an exemplar in the space of Ecologically Sustainable Development?
  • Does it contribute to a more equitable, inclusive and safe city?
  • Does it speak to Melbourne as a multicultural city?
  • Does it represent an innovative approach?
  • Does it provide better-designed public or social housing or address housing affordability?
  • Does it tell an important story about Melbourne’s past, present or future?
  • Is it a rare example of an architectural style or type?
  • Is it important to Victoria’s cultural history?
  • Does it demonstrate creative or technical achievement during a particular period in our history?
  • Does it have a special historical association with a person or group of persons important to Victoria’s history or a present-day community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.
  • Does it offer insights into how the city operates?
  • Does it offer a once-in-a-lifetime or special opportunity?
  • How will it provide a great experience for visitors of all ages?
  • Does it provide free access to a space or place that might otherwise cost to visit?

Accessibility

We encourage all participating sites to consider how visitors of all abilities can experience and enjoy their spaces during the Open House Melbourne Weekend. In your submission, please provide clear and accurate information so we can ensure the Weekend is inclusive and welcoming for everyone.

In 2025, Open House Melbourne introduced the Access Map—a purpose-built digital tool designed to make the Weekend more inclusive and accessible. The map highlights mobility-friendly and neurodiverse-considerate sites and helps visitors plan their journeys with confidence, including identifying nearby amenities and supports.

If you would like to be considered for the 2026 iteration of the Open House Melbourne Access Map, please indicate this in your submission. Both sites with excellent existing accessibility and sites interested to work with us to improve their accessibility will be considered.
 

Access Map

Why apply?

We are the largest and longest-running Open House program in Australasia with an engaged and passionate audience.

The Weekend provides you the opportunity to:

  • take an active role in advocating for the value of good design in our built environment
  • provide an accessible and unique experience for audiences
  • contribute to broad public discussion around the role of design in creating better futures
  • reach a broad cross-section of the community and gain access to new audiences

Open House Melbourne is committed to supporting your involvement in the Weekend so you can focus on engaging with visitors.

Learn more in our 2025 Event Report here.

Open House Melbourne’s Commitment

In the lead up to and during the Weekend, Open House Melbourne will:

  • Coordinate and oversee the delivery and marketing of the print and digital program to our audience including providing a marketing and promotional toolkit for your use;
  • Promote the Weekend through our channels;
  • Offer logistics and on-the-day event support including administration of pre-bookings, where required;
  •  Open House Melbourne has a stock of signage for Collaborators to collect;
  • Allocate and oversee Open House Melbourne volunteers to support with queue management, general building enquiries, way-finding, ticketing, assembling signage

Marketing Benefits

Open House Melbourne undertakes comprehensive marketing and PR activities in the lead up to and during the Weekend. We have an established database of 53k+ email subscribers, 900k+ annual website visits and an audience of 62k+ across social media channels.

 

 

 

For tailored benefits and services, please enquire about partner and sponsorship packages with Katie Evans, Partnerships + Communications Manager via katie.evans@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

“So many new faces through the door, and so many happy smiling faces on the way out. Open House Melbourne has been such a fabulous way for us to reach the broader community.”

“The sheer number of locals attending walking away with a deeper understanding and appreciation of our operations and history.”

“Interested, enthusiastic and curious participants that made the program a delight to run and share.”

Volunteers

Open House Melbourne recruits around 500 volunteers each year to support the delivery of the Weekend, brightening up the city with their hot pink vests. They can assist you during your program with greeting visitors, queue and group management, assembling signage, checking attendee lists, way-finding and directions and sharing building information.

Volunteers are rostered for 4 hour shifts and will be allocated on an as needs basis.

While we endeavour to meet all volunteer requests, the support of Open House Melbourne volunteers is not guaranteed. As such, we expect you can run your program or event without the support of a volunteer.

Once accepted into the program, we will work with you to understand your need for volunteers.

Signage

Open House Melbourne signage ensures visitors can find you and your program! A stock of A-frames and flags is allocated to Collaborators to use over the Weekend for wayfinding.

Collaborators are required to display some form of Open House Melbourne signage at their site. It is the responsibility of the Collaborator to collect and return signage within the scheduled timeframes or Open House Melbourne can arrange a courier service for an additional fee.

More information about volunteers + signage will be provided once your submission has been accepted in to the program.

Chat to us!

Have an idea but not sure if it’s suitable?

We love to talk with returning and prospective Collaborators, to help you better understand how the Weekend works and how you can maximise your participation. You’re invited to join our online information session on Wednesday 19 November at 12pm OR contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612 at any time to discuss your submission idea. Please do so well in advance to the submission deadline so we can best assist you.

Prefer to review the Submission Summary + Form offline?

Download a PDF or contact us to request an alternative format.

 

 

Collaborator FAQs

The Open House Melbourne Weekend 2026 will take place across Friday 24 July—Sunday 26 July 2026.

The Weekend occurs across 24—26 July 2026.

Collaborators with Open Access buildings or programs are encouraged to open between the hours of 9am and 6pm across multiple days where possible. Where this cannot occur, one full day or consistent timeframes across both days is preferred. For Open Access programs, a minimum open time of six hours is required.

Opening on Friday is always in addition to your offering on Saturday and/or Sunday rather than in place of and you can indicate your interest to participate on Friday in the EOI form. Panel discussions or talks and any events that may have a great industry appeal are well-placed on Friday.

Whether you’re in individual or an organisation, you’ll become a Collaborator when your submission is accepted into the program. At that point, we’ll provide support ensure you supply the required information for the print and digital program and ensure you’re prepared to deliver your event successfully during the Weekend. This includes regular email communications as well as online briefing and Q+A sessions.

All Collaborators will be invited to celebrate with us at the Program Launch on Wednesday 24 June 2026.

 

Submissions may take the form of in-person open access building or building/site/transport or walking tour, workshop, panel discussion or talk, film or exhibition.

Most programs operate either as Open Access while some require Pre-bookings. Some have elements of both. See below for more information.

Online programs, tours and events should embrace their digital context by utilising virtual tours, spotlighting typically off-limits spaces or providing access to interstate or international special guests.

We welcome EOIs from locations across the city and Melbourne’s suburbs and beyond.

Most of the program aims to operate as Open Access. This means buildings and spaces are open for guided or self-guided tours which are free and do not require pre-booking. Visitors can simply turn up and take part. Scheduled building tours that are not limited by strict capacity limits may be included in this offering.

Open Access programs fall between the hours of 9am and 6pm across 24—26 July 2026 and must be open for a minimum of six hours.

Generally, if you can accommodate more than 20 people at a time, or will offer four or more sessions or tours of the same program on the same day, your program should be Open Access.

Collaborators arrange for knowledgeable staff or volunteers to be on site to welcome visitors and be available to share architectural and design information or share insights or stories with visitors about the space while they explore.

Open Access programs see more traffic and exposure and offer a better opportunity for more visitors to experience your building or space. In the spirit of Open House, we strongly encourage you to offer Open Access to your building or space. We can offer volunteers to support with queue management and way-finding at popular or limited capacity sites.

Of course! In this case, we expect Collaborators to provide access to spaces that are not usually open to the public or host special activities that highlight the site’s significance, history, character and architecture. This might include having designers, historians or other experts on site to answer visitor questions about the space, developing a special self-guided tour or holding a special event.

Yes, it can. We can support your team with volunteers to assist with forming and managing queues when necessary and establish a one-in-one-out policy. We also communicate with visitors in advance that a first come, first served policy exists at your site so they understand that to expect.

Pre-bookings are required for some programs with limited capacity or security considerations like residential homes, construction sites or limited capacity tours.

Open House Melbourne will work with you to assess the structure of your program and decide if your program requires pre-bookings.

All ticketing for pre-booked programs is managed by Open House Melbourne. We will work with you to understand your capacity for oversubscription to account for attrition.

A small booking fee of $7 applies to tickets (passed on to visitors) to contribute to the ticketing administration costs and is non-refundable.

No. Collaborators are expected to provide free access to festival participants. If you normally charge an entrance fee, you are required to waive it for festival participants.

All ticketing for pre-booked programs is managed by Open House Melbourne via Humanitix. We will work with you to understand your capacity for oversubscription to account for attrition.

A small booking/commitment fee of $7 applies to tickets (passed on to visitors) to discourage no-shows and to contribute to the ticketing administration costs. This fee is non-refundable.

Open House Melbourne will create a ticketing link for your program to include in the digital program and for you to share with your networks. Collaborators are expected to review the draft ticketing link for their event to confirm the details.

Tickets are released to the public about a week after the program goes live. This allows time for people to review the program and effectively plan their Weekend.  Two releases of tickets are scheduled to increase equity of access.

When your program becomes fully booked, a waitlist will be activated. Offers of available tickets due to cancellations will be processed automatically as an offer to the next person on the list.

Reminder emails for ticketed programs will be sent 72 hours prior to your event.

You will be given access to your event via the Humanitix app which shows up-to-date registration numbers and provides scanning permission.

On the Weekend, your team (with the support of Open House Melbourne volunteers) will be responsible for checking in attendees by scanning the QR on their ticket—more on this once your acceptance into the program has been confirmed.

If you have any questions about how ticketing works or whether your program should be ticketed, please contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

Before making a submission, familiarise yourself with the:

  • Key Selection Criteria
  • Registration Fee structure
  • Collaborator Terms + Conditions
  • Collaborator Commitment
  • Key Dates Timeline
  • FAQs.

Submissions can be made via the online form. Be prepared to complete the form in one session. The form will not be saved should you close your browser. We recommend reviewing the form or PDF summary and keeping a separate record of your responses as a reference so you can complete the form in one go.

Submission deadline: 11.59pm Sunday 22 February 2026. 

All submissions are required to meet the minimum requirements and will be assessed against the Key Selection Criteria by the Open House Melbourne Building Council and curatorial team. Submissions are reviewed regularly as they come in and we may be in touch throughout this process should we require any clarification or further information.

Successful applicants will be notified via email by Friday 13 March 2026.

If your submission is successful and you are accepted into the program, you will become a ‘Collaborator’. Collaborators are required to:

  • submit their finalised program information by the date provided
  • pay the applicable registration fee.

These key selection criteria will guide the curatorial process to determine programs accepted into the Weekend 2026 program.

Represent design excellence

  • Is it award-winning or has it been recognised by professional design peers?
  • Is it innovative, pushing boundaries and/or a great addition to the city?
  • Will it inspire the next generation of design professionals/future urbanists/active citizens?
  • How does it respond to the 2026 theme Generous City?

Seek to improve our collective futures

  • Does it include First Nations Peoples’ knowledges?
  • Is this an exemplar in the space of Ecologically Sustainable Development?
  • Does it contribute to a more equitable, inclusive and safe city?
  • Does it speak to Melbourne as a multicultural city?
  • Does it represent an innovative approach?
  • Does it provide better-designed public housing or address housing affordability?

Represent significant built heritage

  • Does it tell an important story about Melbourne’s past, present or future?
  • Is it a rare example of an architectural style or type?
  • Is it important to Victoria’s cultural history?
  • Does it demonstrate creative or technical achievement during a particular period in our history?
  • Does it have a special historical association with a person or group of persons important to Victoria’s history or a present-day community or cultural group for social, cultural or spiritual reasons.

Provide a unique visitor experience

  • Does it offer insights into how the city operates?
  • Does it offer a once-in-a-lifetime or special opportunity?
  • How will it provide a great experience for visitors of all ages?

All applications will be reviewed by the Open House Melbourne Building Council together with the Program team.

Successful applicants will be notified via email by Friday 13 March 2026.

This will include a link to finalise your program content and process registration fee payments.

 

Successful program submissions, upon acceptance into the Weekend program will be invoiced a registration fee.

It is free to submit your EOI submission – fees are applied to successful programs only.

Collaborator registration fees ensure we can continue to deliver the much-loved Open House Melbourne Weekend into the future. Registration fees contribute to administration costs, insurance, accessibility services, event management, volunteer recruitment and signage. Registrations fees are inclusive of GST.

The fee structure is as follows:

  • $65 (individual)
  • $120 (not-for-profit, community group)
  • $260 (school, for-profit, local government)
  • $440 (higher education, State government, developers, property investment and funds management groups)

To discuss a payment plan or any other aspect relating to fees, please contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

The Open House Melbourne Weekend celebrates good design by opening up buildings, places and spaces, inspiring public engagement in conversations about the future of our city.

Open House Melbourne is the largest and longest-running Open House program in Australia. The Weekend provides you the opportunity to:

  • take an active role in advocating for the value of good design in our built environment;
  • contribute to broad public discussion around the role of design in creating better futures;
  • reach a broad cross-section of the community;
  • gain access to new audiences.

Find out more in our Weekend 2025 Event Report.

Open House Melbourne undertakes comprehensive marketing and PR activities in the lead up to and during the Weekend. We have an established database of 53k+ email subscribers, 900k+ annual website visits and an audience of over 62k+ across social media channels. Learn more in our 2025 Event Report here.

You will be provided a marketing kit including branding guidelines and digital and print assets to share with your networks to promote the Weekend.

More information about marketing will be provided to you once your submission is accepted.

For tailored benefits and services, please enquire about Partner and Sponsorship packages with Katie Evans, Partnerships + Communications Manager via katie.evans@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612.

We love to talk with prospective Collaborators, to help you better understand how the Weekend works and how you can maximise your participation. Please contact us via info@ohm.org.au or +61 3 8648 8612. to discuss your submission idea. We ask that you do so well in advance to the submission deadline so we can best assist you.

Or, come along to our Online Information Session—12pm, Wednesday 19 November.

Hear from the Open House team about updates for 2026, tips and tricks for successful participation and get your questions answered. Past and prospective Collaborators welcome! More information and a link to join will be provided closer to the date.

Your site =  Your responsibility. Collaborators are expected to hold all necessary permissions and insurances to deliver their proposed program.

Terms + Conditions for participation can be found here. You are required to review and acknowledge you accept these T+Cs once approved for the program.