Rehearsing the City opens Thursday 21 May 2026, 5-7pm.Victorian Archives Centre Gallery, 99 Shiel Street, North Melbourne
Through archival and contemporary photography we examine how public space is not just shaped by architects and urban planners, but also by protest, improvisation, and even neglect. Communities and individuals constantly use the built environment in creative or unexpected ways, reinterpreting or subverting its intended design. These acts of resistance show that urban environments are not static, they grow and adapt with their inhabitants.
Featuring: Chris Bekos, Melanie Cobham, Michael Currie, Mark Forbes, Sande Harsa, Adrian Leung, Hashem McAdam, Suzanne Phoenix, Ted Richards, Deb Stembridge, Ai Tam Do and Andrew Tan. Alongside government photography from the collections of the National Archives of Australia and our state archives, Public Record Office Victoria.
This event is part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.
Image: Demonstrations – Victoria – Women’s rights demonstration in Melbourne
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