Festival of Doing

Less talk, more action!

Join us at the 2026 Festival of Doing for hands on collaboration and shared knowledge in action. Presented by Lotterywest and Town Team Movement, this 'un-conference' is not a talk-fest, it's a do-fest, bringing together community, government and industry professionals to co-create better places across Australia.

The festival will be hosted in local venues and places throughout Bentley and St James thanks to our collaboration and support from DevelopmentWA, City of Canning and the Bentley Town Team 'Town 6102'.

Don’t miss out - secure your spot at the Festival of Doing now! 🎟️
With limited capacity and strong demand, tickets are selling fast. Jump in early to be part of this hands-on, high-energy experience and connect with changemakers from across WA.

Coming from Regional WA? Travel bursaries are available thanks to Lotterywest. Applications close Friday 1 May or when funds are exhausted. Get in quick!

Festival of Doing Program:

Day 1: Wednesday 6 May

1:00pm to 3:30pm: The Democracy of Doing from New York to Melbourne (and everywhere in between) - An afternoon with Ethan and Gilbert, two of the world’s leading placemakers with over 60 years of collective experience of creating great and loveable places.

We invite you to an inspiring afternoon with Ethan Kent of Placemaking X and Gilbert Rochecouste of Village Well who will explore the ‘Democracy of Doing’ - how communities and people are taking control and agency to create positive futures and places.

Day 2: Thursday 7 May

9:00am to 4:00pm: Streetmaking Together Workshop (SOLD OUT) - Learn about how to use the integrated Safe Systems Approach and Placemaking to create safer, more liveable and vibrant streets. The learnings throughout the day will include theory, collaborative design and a real life case study area to implement your ideas with community leaders.

Lunch and snacks will be provided throughout the day. Please dress comfortably with walking shoes, sunscreen and a hat.

The Streetmaking Together Workshop is proudly supported by Main Roads WA, WALGA, Department of Transport and DevelopmentWA.

5:30pm to 8:00pm: Festival of Doing Welcome Networking Event - Connect and network with professionals, community leaders and changemakers and enjoy entertainment as we let the learning through doing begin!

Food and refreshments provided.

Day 3: Friday 8 May

9:00am to 4:30pm: Festival of Doing - The festival will unite an entire ecosystem of community and place changemakers - from on the ground doers to system shapers, so we can create better ways of doing, together. Our hands-on, interactive format offers a 'choose your own adventure' journey through placemaking themes, stories and real-world case studies including:

• Local storytelling, wayfinding and knowledge sharing

• Co-creating active, safe public spaces and streets

• Urban regeneration through community-led action and collaborative design

• Local economic development and main street activation

• Innovative approaches to community participation with practical examples

Move through Bentley and St James to experience the evolution of the Hillview Intercultural Centre, and dive into new placemaking and urban regeneration initiatives along Chapman Road Town Centre and the Heartwood Bentley redevelopment site. Plus take some to relax and connect in the Optus zone.

View the full program here - https://www.townteammovement.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/FoD-A5-progam_TC_APRIL26_V9.pdf

4:30pm to 8:00pm Minister for Local Government's Place Innovation Awards - Wind down after a full day of exploring, learning and connecting by celebrating your peers (or yourself!) at the annual local government placemaking awards. The Awards will be followed by a after party a the Hillview Intercultural Community Hub and Park.

The Minister for Local Government's Place Innovation Awards are proudly supported by the Department of Local Government, Industry, Regulation and Safety.

Town Team Movement 'Festival of Doing' Travel Subsidy 

To ensure regional attendees are able to attend Town Town Movement’s ‘Festival of Doing’ event on 7-8 May 2026, we invite regional Local Government Associations and Not-for-profits in Western Australia to apply for a travel and accommodation subsidy thanks to support from Lotterywest. 

Participants can apply for a travel award up to $1,000 in two categories:

Category 1: Regional & Remote Travel (more than 300km from the conference location) - up to $1,000 for travel costs including flights, petrol and/or accommodation
Category 2: Regional Travel (less than 300km from the conference location) - up to $750 for travel costs including petrol and/or accommodation

For more information about festival, travel bursaries for eligible regional participants and program please visit: https://www.townteammovement.com/festival-of-doing/.

Our Partners

Festival of Doing is proudly presented by Lotterywest and Town Team Movement and supported by City of Canning, DevelopmentWA, Optus, Western Australian Planning Commission, Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety, Main Roads WA, RAC and Government of Western Australia’s Road Safety Community Grants Program.

It is hosted in local venues and places throughout Bentley and St James thanks to our collaboration and support from DevelopmentWA, City of Canning and the Bentley Town Team 'Town 6102'.

Special thanks to our presenting and major partners for helping to make the festival possible.