City People
Profile
City People shift how people feel about places with arts and culture.
We strategise, plan and deliver arts and cultural programs to build more resilient communities and well-loved places.
Our services span the gamut of:
- Arts and cultural strategy
- Business planning and evaluation for cultural organisations
- Creative placemaking & implementation
- Public art strategy, curation and delivery
Our founders, Michael and Kim, started City People to close the gap between arts and cultural policy, and the actual experiences of people on the ground. With 50 years of combined experience as practicing artists, creative producers and arts strategists, they know that the power of arts and culture lies in its specific embrace of place: physical character, histories and communities.
As drivers of diverse arts and cultural strategy, planning and project / institution operations, at City People we pride ourselves on our capacity to speak the language of artists, communities and governments.
Projects
RECENT PROJECTS: MUSEUM & GALLERY SECTOR
City People has worked with various museums and galleries across regional and metropolitan NSW.
NGUNUNGGULA SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS GALLERY [2024]
- Drafted a five-year outlook for Ngununggula through by facilitating an intensive strategic planning day about significant levers impacting the company’s future from 2025 – 2030.
- Mapped Ngununggula’s current operating context; opportunities, challenges and constraints over the next 5 years; and critical path with objectives and timeframes to pursue opportunities.
BATHURST REGIONAL ART GALLERY [2024]
- In partnership with Deborah Ely, conducted strategic and operational review of Bathurst Regional Art Gallery (BRAG) during transitional period of internal restructuring.
- Examined BRAG’s staffing profile, overall operations and facilities to assess contribution to Bathurst region and present solid value case to Council.
- Assisted with short-term directorial and curatorial recruitment and successful delivery of landmark First Nations exhibition curated by Jonathan Jones with Wirribee Aunty Leanna Carr – Dhuluny: the war that never ended
LA PEROUSE MUSEUM [2021]
- Developed a ten-year business and operations plan for La Perouse Museum for client Randwick City Council in collaboration with specialist arts infrastructure and heritage advisor Peter Watts AM.
- Modelled different operations options aligned to the masterplan for the headland and redevelopment of the museum.
- The plan included market analysis, infrastructure upgrade options, considerations for creating a unique identity, appropriate governance and recommendations for a holistic approach to cultural programming.
AWARDS
- 2025 Community Based Initiative of the Year; Parks & Leisure Australia NSW/ACT; winner
- 2022 Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards – Small Scale Place Project; Place Leaders Asia Pacific; highly commended
- 2022 Place Leaders Asia Pacific Awards – Place Process; Place Leaders Asia Pacific; highly commended
- 2019 AILA National Award of Excellence for Parks and Open Space; Australian Institute of Landscape Architects; winner
- 2019 AILA NSW Award of Excellence for Parks and Open Space; Australian Institute of Landscape Architects; winner
- 2015 Interpretation Awards; Interpretation Australia; runner up
- 2014 Interpretation Awards; Interpretation Australia; winner
City People is a prequalified supplier under the NSW Government Performance and Management Services Scheme (SCM0005) and Government Architect’s Strategy and Design Scheme (SCM0801).
CONTACT INFORMATION
Dr Michael Cohen3 Joynton Avenue
Zetland
Zetland NSW
Phone: 0423172818
OPERATION AND STAFFING
Year Commenced: 2017Number of Staff: 3
Staff Basis: Permanent Contract Casual
AICCM member: N/A
GST Registered?: Yes
ABN: 38 623 211 058