Dear friends and creators,

March has been a month of contrasts with rich creative energy shadowed by challenges that are being felt acutely in regional communities across Western Australia and beyond.

I want to acknowledge the very real difficulties many of you are facing right now. The escalating conflict in Iran has sent ripples across the globe, affecting fuel costs and availability in ways that hit regional areas particularly hard. We know that some organisations have had to scale back programs because travel has become prohibitively expensive. We’re thinking carefully about how we can best support you through this period.

That said, I do want to share what we’ve been witnessing on the ground, because despite these challenges, the resilience and creativity of regional WA continues to inspire. Our team has been out and about this month – from Nannup to Moora, with projects also underway in Kalgoorlie, Esperance, and Albany. At the Nannup Music Festival, Carla Steele and Megan Lemon from our grants team held an information session that drew such encouraging responses we’re hoping to make this an annual activity. In Moora, our Sector Development Coordinator Val Scoponi attended the opening of ‘Radical Futures: of the Earth’ at the Gardiner Street Arts Collective and was genuinely moved by the strong sense of community and the quality of the work. And I had the privilege of attending FORM’s Lighting the Sound in Albany, at the invitation of the Ambassador of Finland to Australia, celebrating the work of Finnish artist Kari Kola and the exceptional beauty of our regional landscape.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who contributed to our recent Regional Arts WA Stakeholder Survey. We received almost 100 responses, and the results were overwhelmingly positive and affirming of our direction. We’ll be reflecting carefully on your thoughtful comments as we move into the revision of our strategic plan. Your voice matters deeply to how we shape our work.

I also want to bring to your attention that the Federal Government has opened consultation on the development of the next National Cultural Policy, building on the Revive Policy released three years ago. I know the volume of consultation underway at the moment can feel overwhelming; however, this process is particularly important. It is vital that the voices and lived experience of regional Western Australia are reflected, as the outcomes will help shape future national initiatives and funding programs. I encourage you to engage if you can – further details are provided below.

On a celebratory note, huge congratulations to our Board member Rosie Sitorus, who appeared on ABC’s The Piano on March 29th alongside Thiinma Elder Peter Salmon (you can catch-up on Episode 3 on iview and don’t miss the final concert – Episode 6!). We’re incredibly proud of her. And a warm congratulations as well to our Next Gen Arts Grant recipients – we can’t wait to see what you create.

To anyone caught in the path of Cyclone Narelle over the weekend, we hope you’re safe and supported. We’re thinking of the communities navigating the clean-up and the long trail of recovery, and we hope a sense of strength shows up in these moments.

I have taken the opportunity this month for a long overdue trip to Chile to spend time with family. It is a necessary pause, and one that reminds me of the importance of rest and family connection, something I know many of you juggle alongside your creative work.

Thank you for continuing to create and connect, even when it’s difficult.

With warm regards,

Dr Pilar Kasat