Five inspiring projects are bringing new creative opportunities to young people across the Kimberley, Wheatbelt and South West, thanks to $21,494 in funding through the latest round of Next Gen Arts grants.

Delivered by Regional Arts WA and proudly supported by the WA Government, Next Gen Arts pairs young people aged 12 to 18 with local artists to explore everything from painting to pottery, songwriting to storytelling.

Congratulations to this round’s recipients:

  • Donyale Mac Krill: $2,514 for ‘Portraits of Place: Young Guns’, inclusive portrait photography workshops and a photo walk for young people in Busselton;
  • Shine Project Australia: $4,280 for ‘Shine Project Singer Songwriter Workshops’, a series of music mentorships and performance workshops across Busselton, Dunsborough, Bunbury and Margaret River;
  • Merredin Community Resource Centre: $4,700 for ‘History in Colour: Creating a Youth Mural for the Merredin Military Museum’, a school holiday arts project culminating in a permanent public artwork;
  • Aisha Valenti: $5,000 for ‘Community in Colour’, a collaborative public mural project in Broome celebrating local flora and fauna; and
  • Shire of Northam: $5,000 for ‘Seasons of Country’, public artworks developed with young people, a First Nations artist and cultural knowledge holders to celebrate local culture, seasons and place.

In a media statement today, Minister for Creative Industries Hon. Simone McGurk MLA said the WA Government are “proud to support programs that employ regional artists, nurture the creativity of young people and contribute to vibrant and connected regional communities.”

“These projects will give young people across regional Western Australia the chance to express themselves, learn from talented local artists and create something meaningful for their communities. It is particularly exciting that several of these projects will result in permanent public artworks shaped by the ideas and perspectives of local young people.”

Regional Arts WA thanks the WA Government for its continued support through the Regional Creative Industries Fund, which makes programs like Next Gen Arts possible. We know that early exposure to creative opportunities like these can shape a young person’s confidence, wellbeing and sense of belonging for years to come, helping to inspire the next generation of artists, musicians, storytellers and creative thinkers.

We can’t wait to see how these creative journeys unfold!

Minister’s Media Statement
More on Next Gen Arts

Feature image: recipients of Round 2 of the Next Gen Arts grant, Boyup Brook Community Mental Health Action Team, undertaking a mural painting project. Photo by Fiona Hazelwood.