Humans of City North: Kiri Delly
Kiri Delly is the Associate Director of Creative Partnerships within RMIT’s Policy, Strategy & Impact Innovation Catalyst team. She works to foster and build meaningful connections and collaborative opportunities (with a creative/ design focus) across RMIT, as well as out into community, industry, and government. Kiri’s role focuses on looking at practical and applied ways such partnerships can improve how we live, work, learn and experience, working towards social, economic, environmental, cultural, and creative input and impact. But there’s more to Kiri’s story and connection to Melbourne and the City North district than her job title.
City North and RMIT’s Social Innovation Precinct are shining examples of RMIT’s commitment to making a difference. Kiri has been instrumental in this, playing a significant role in the delivery of some of RMIT’s co-designed innovative activations. These initiatives, including the recent City North Fest Cardigan St Takeover Weekend, are a testament to Kiri’s influence.
Kiri’s story starts a little further north of Melbourne. She was born in NSW but spent most of her childhood and adolescence in New Zealand. Eventually, she returned to Canberra to finish her studies and then jet-set off again to London, where she worked for many years in experiential marketing and events, mainly within the entertainment industry.
When the time came to return home, Kiri’s heart was set on Melbourne. The city’s vibrant culture, creative scene, and the multitude of exciting events it hosts, along with the abundant job opportunities, make Melbourne the perfect place for Kiri. It’s not just her home, it’s her passion.
Kiri’s early career days found her working at the Melbourne Fashion Festival, progressing to General Manager and forming fantastic relationships and networks that continue today. From there, she ran the industry association for the textile, clothing, and footwear industry before coming to RMIT to work in various roles across engagement, partnerships and placemaking.
Kiri has always been drawn to Melbourne’s north, its diverse restaurants, galleries, music venues, and independent retail. There is always something new and exciting to explore and experience. With her love for travelling, eating out, going to the movies, and seeing live music with her fabulous friends and family, Melbourne’s eclectic offering provides a feast for all the senses.
Each encounter with Melbourne, our wonderful city, provides Kiri with new perspectives and inspiration. This, in turn, fuels her drive to find authentic ways to unite people, projects, and ideas. Melbourne’s influence is unmistakable in her work, as she strives to bring together diverse elements in a meaningful way.
Though Kiri loves to travel and see new places, Melbourne offers her pretty much all she needs and wants—in a not-too-intense way. It’s easy to get around, has an exciting mix across its built environment, and supports people wishing to create and try out new ventures, creative practices, and enterprises. Perhaps the most beautiful thing about Melbourne is its laneways, hidden spaces, and green spots, which satisfy Kiri’s love of discovery.
Not only is the city of Melbourne beautiful and exciting, but it is also well laid out. Kiri reflects on how many cities are so well laid out that you can walk from the city centre to a major sports stand, a botanic garden, and an iconic exhibition and event site.
Kiri’s earliest memory of Melbourne stems from the 1950s, with a family that came to Melbourne from Greece and made a home in the north of the city. She fondly remembers coming to Melbourne to visit them in the late 80s/early 90s, going to Queen Victoria Markets, trying Cherry Ripe milkshakes on Brunswick St, and even attending a live recording of the TV show – ‘The Big Gig’ at the ABC Studios [eek – showing my age there aren’t I!]. Even back then, Kiri knew Melbourne was somewhere she wanted to get to know better. The love affair had already begun.
From her many years of travelling and working and living abroad in various cities, Kiri believes that one global trend that has been inherited or re-started post-COVID by Melbourne is the way the city and its inhabitants are taking a more personal, community approach to many aspects of our lives.
This approach fosters a sense of belonging and involvement, as we consider where and when we come together (local parks and community houses), where and what we buy (our local high streets), and how we interact with the spaces and places near where we live and work.
While some things become more homogenous, Kiri feels that people are now searching for that ‘something’ that allows them to feel united and acknowledged in and to place. This, and the enduring trend of black continuing to be the colour of choice for most Melburnians, is a testament to our unique local culture and fashion, connecting us all in our shared preferences.
As for the future of the City North district of Melbourne? Kiri sees a heap of potential for this part of the city. It is home to many of Melbourne’s iconic institutions that were the foundations for building the city and its social, economic, and cultural success.
On Kiri’s wishlist for Melbourne and the City North district, in particular, are more spaces and places that support people coming together for purpose and betterment – multi-functional green spaces, sites for diverse groups to discover, test and share, and locations to immerse and experience—opening everything up and seeing what diverse groups bring.
And the key to making this happen? Connection, collaboration, consideration, contribution, and commitment.
This is Kiri’s story.
