Public place for People's Space

As Perth hosted the 2011 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the Perth Cultural Centre was transformed into the People’s Space. 

More than 20,000 people visited the Perth Cultural Centre over the four-day festival to enjoy live music, films, markets, exhibitions, street theatre and children’s activities, and to celebrate the people and culture of the Commonwealth.  Video footage of the successful event can be viewed online. 

Making places for people is a key part of EPRA’s work.  Following extensive consultation with stakeholders and users of the space, as well as a series of place planning workshops, EPRA undertook further improvement works in the Perth Cultural Centre.  Features of the recently completed works program include:

• A new nature inspired children’s play space for children and school groups visiting the area to unleash their creative energy.
• A large LED screen which was used for a live broadcast of the CHOGM Opening Ceremony and will provide opportunities for the resident institutions and other arts organisations to programme future content.  
• Directional signs at each entry point to help visitors find their way.
• State-of-the-art digital feature lighting, tree up-lighting and lighting to the various heritage façades around the Perth Cultural Centre.  This infrastructure was used during the People’s Space to show Collision Course, a movie specifically made for the event which was projected onto the façade of the Art Gallery of WA.
• Security upgrades including seven new CCTV cameras and three emergency phones.  The CCTV will be monitored 24/7.

Over the past two years, EPRA has spent more than $17million on a “lighter, cheaper, quicker” revitalisation program for the Perth Cultural Centre.  Initial improvements, including the creation of an Urban Orchard and Native Wetland, are increasingly popular as inner-city destinations for corporate and community events.

Creating a place that remains active, accessible, social, safe and comfortable is a vital element of EPRA’s work in the Perth Cultural Centre.