Melbourne’s future as a thriving arts and cultural hub is in serious jeopardy of collapsing, which is why Lord Mayor candidate Jamal Hakim has unveiled a new vision to protect the city’s unique character and creative vibrancy.
Team Hakim’s ‘Future Postcode 3000’ policy is set to reignite Melbourne’s status as a global cultural centre while addressing the pressing challenges of rising rents, vacant office spaces, and diminishing support for creative industries.
“Melbourne is at risk of losing its arts capital status. We cannot afford to see creative and non-profit organisations being priced out of the very communities they exist to serve. Our policy is more than just an investment in culture; it’s a forward-thinking urban strategy to keep Melbourne’s heartbeat alive,” Hakim said.
The policy addresses the growing exodus of arts organisations from the City of Melbourne. Iconic spaces like the Nicholas Building have suffered, with artists priced out following its recent sale. The Regent Theatre, another cultural landmark, is also under threat with plans for its sale. “My plans are around investing – not divesting – from community like selling off the Regent Theatre.” Hakim said.
Meanwhile, stagnant funding and rising costs have pushed artists to neighbouring municipalities, jeopardising the future of Melbourne’s arts scene.
Hakim’s ‘Future Postcode 3000’ policy includes initiatives to transform underutilised office spaces into thriving cultural hubs. With office vacancy rates at their highest since the 1990s recession, Hakim’s plan is to turn these empty spaces into homes for creative and community organisations. “We’re taking action to make these spaces vibrant again by giving creative enterprises the room to grow,” Hakim said.
To further secure Melbourne’s arts legacy, the policy allocates $2m annually to expand the City’s Creative Spaces program. Furthermore, $2m over four years will support the Nicholas Building Association, establishing a Creative Community Land Trust to permanently protect the building and provide a replicable model for arts-led social enterprises across the city.
“Creative business is Melbourne business,” Hakim said. “The arts sector contributes $23bn to the Victorian economy, and we must invest in the artists who make that possible. Our policy ensures that Melbourne remains a city where innovation, creativity, and community thrive.”
The ‘Future Postcode 3000’ plan also seeks to save public assets like the Regent Theatre from sale, doubling the City of Melbourne’s contestable arts funding to give artists the resources they need to develop new works. “We are committed to supporting a Melbourne that welcomes creative energy and empowers local communities,” Deputy Lord Mayor candidate Esther Anatolitis, a renowned arts leader,” said.
The policy also includes $10m for multicultural festivals and events, promoting cultural inclusivity and community cohesion. "Our city's diversity is its strength, and we want to celebrate that with the world," Hakim said, further highlighting the integrating of arts with Team Hakim's broader celebrating diversity commitments.
Delivering more housing more affordably, ‘Future Postcode 3000’ will address the growing housing crisis by supporting office-to-housing conversions where viable, ensuring the city remains liveable for all. Visionary architect Michael Smith, a key supporter of the policy, emphasised the importance of combining creative culture with practical urban solutions. "Empty office spaces offer a valuable opportunity for community growth," Smith said. “Not every office can be converted, and the ones that can, we will commit a fast-tracked process and fee waivers to make it happen.”
‘Tactical Urbanism for Melbourne’s ‘Future Postcode 3000’ is another critical component of the policy, focusing on greening public spaces and building resilience against climate change. The plan includes investments of $25m to create vibrant, community-loved spaces, addressing Melbourne's urban heat challenges while enhancing public accessibility and safety. “This will deliver a renewed boulevard that shines bright all year round for St Kilda Road and Collins Street, revitalising our high streets, and a completely reimagined Harbour Esplanade, reclaiming land for the people left desolate by Development Victoria.” Hakim said, “Lygon Street, Errol Street and our prized shopping streets across each neighbourhood will also receive a makeover, while a strategy to give licence to residents to take over the pavement will bring people spilling onto the streets with a breath of fresh air.” This includes a new outdoor gym at the broken Drill Hall community park that has been closed off for months.
Hakim’s ‘Future Postcode 3000’ is a vision for a thriving, inclusive, and resilient Melbourne. It’s a call to action for the city to rediscover its ambition and ensure that Melbourne remains a beacon of creativity and innovation for generations to come. ENDS