Regional Arts WA
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Dear Readers,
What a whirlwind of a month! While winter’s chill has settled in the metro areas across Walyalup and Boorloo, the cultural landscape of regional Western Australia has been anything but dormant.
Landmark Announcement
In case you’ve been blissfully disconnected from the news cycle this week (and who could blame you?), I’m here to interrupt your media sabbatical with a somewhat seismic announcement. We managed to secure a $3.3 million partnership with the Minderoo Foundation that will recalibrate WA’s regional communities over the next three years. The investment will allow us to deliver on our Thrive! Framework, and support arts organisations across the state.
Looking back over the 30-year history of Regional Arts WA, we now stand at the precipice of a major inflection point. In a state as vast as ours, regional communities require authentic advocacy and support, and this partnership represents something bigger and offers an invitation for others to share in our vision for the regional arts sector’s future.
The announcement was heard nationwide, with coverage in The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Brisbane Times, The West Australian, and Artshub. The overwhelming response underscored the fact that in the current landscape, where cuts to the arts have been a common thread, positive stories about ‘funding’ offer hope to audiences.
Our profound appreciation to the Minderoo Foundation for their understanding of Regional Arts WA’s purpose to foster vibrant, liveable regional communities. Though further resources are required to fully realise Thrive!, this investment is a very auspicious beginning.
Josephine Johnson, Chair of RAWA Board. Image credit: Daniel Carson
Regional Arts Network Gathering
Since my last CEO update, we hosted the Regional Arts Network gathering at the State Library of WA. The two-day gathering featured collaborative brainstorming and relationship building with our network partners who will be key beneficiaries of the investment.
We were privileged to welcome Hon. Minister Simone McGurk, creating space for personal stories of creative impact and forthright conversations about a sustainable future for regional arts.
The RAN itself (20 regional arts organisations fuelled largely by volunteer power and sheer determination) continues to embody a truth they articulated years ago; that “Arts and culture are the lifeblood of all regional communities.“
Our deepest gratitude to Nicole Beyer for her skilled facilitation. And our appreciation to every organisation that contributed their wisdom and experience:
The gathering was made possible through support from Minderoo Foundation, The Ian Potter Foundation, and the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund via Regional Arts Australia.
More Positive News
Nurturing Emerging Talent
We are excited to partner with the City of Greater Geraldton and Geraldton Regional Art Gallery to support the $3000 Regional Arts WA Emerging Artist Fellowship.
The fellowship is a new opportunity to support the professional growth of a young regional artist aged 18 – 26 from Western Australia, contributing to a professional development activity of the recipient’s choosing to help build and sustain a long-term career in the arts. Mid West Art Prize entrants who are aged 18 – 26 and based in regional WA are eligible to apply for the fellowship. The fellowship is backed by the Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport‘s Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program.
The fellowship is proudly supported by the WA Government’s Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program.
Celebrating First Nations Voices
July’s NAIDOC celebrations provided a platform to amplify exceptional First Nations artists including Lloyd Kwilla and Nuriah Jadai across our channels.
We also highlighted the Mid West exhibition ‘Silence Listening,’ a collaboration between Yamaji artist Dr Charmaine Papertalk Green and British-Australian artist George Criddle. Curated with Bard, Jawi Aamba man Ron Bradfield Junior, the exhibition confronts colonial histories of Jambinu (Geraldton) and Mullewa that have remained shrouded in silence for generations. The willingness to engage with uncomfortable truths that are part of our colonial history make the exhibition an essential cultural experience.
And it was wonderful to offer our Regional Arts WA animation ‘Where the Land Speaks Art Listens’ to the City of Bunbury’s state-of-the-art projection mapping display during NAIDOC week. The immersive experience played nightly, and amplified the voices of First Nations artists Michelle Kickett, Raymond Edney, and Kevin Merritt.
A special acknowledgment to all participating artists, the South West Development Commission, Bunbury Regional Art Gallery’s Noongar Arts Program, and the Creative Tech Village for their expertise in bringing this digital cultural innovation to life.
Team Transitions
With a mixture of gratitude and sadness, we will bid farewell to our Operations Officer Jaala Kuempflein in September, who is returning to her regional hometown in Victoria. Jaala’s organisational brilliance and sense of humour have been invaluable to our culture at Regional Arts WA.
If spreadsheets make your heart sing and supporting creative communities gives you goosebumps, please see the Operations Officer job description, which is currently advertised on Seek.
Stay creative and connected,
Dr Pilar Kasat
Posted in CEO Update, Our News.
