The Economy, Culture And Design Of Cities: A Public Lecture

The Dunedin City Council has invited Dr. John Montgomery, an urban planner, economist, author and managing director of Urban Cultures, UK to present a public lecture on the economy, culture and design of cities.

The lecture will be held in the Dunedin Public Art Gallery on Friday, 16 September from 4.00pm to 5.00pm. It forms part of the ‘Your City, Our Future’ community engagement programme, determining what sort of city our residents want to live in, in 20 years time.

As art-led urban revitalisation is an area of particular interest to Dr. Montgomery, his views are particularly relevant for the development of the DCC’s Central City Plan and the Economic Development Strategy.

Dr Montgomery is recognised as one of the leading authorities on the ‘evening economy’ (business, enterprise and transactions that take place in the evening) and his work includes such projects as the Greater London Development Plan, the London Industrial Strategy and the London Infrastructure Plan, the drafting of the City of Melbourne’s Arts and Cultural Strategy, the regeneration of Hobart’s waterfront, and a development framework for Darling Harbour East in Sydney. He also advised the Irish government on the creation of a cultural quarter in Dublin, an area now regarded across Europe as an innovative and modern urban planning initiative.

While he is in Dunedin, Dr Montgomery will also spend time with DCC staff who are working on the Central City Plan.