Royalties for Regions Success | Community First International

Regional Arts WA

Photo by Community First International

Mandurah is the second-largest city in Western Australia and is located in the Peel region.

Arts changes lives and creates community vibrancy and livability. No one understands this more than 22 year old artist, Jasmine Downard. Community First International, funded by the Royalties for Regions Creative Regions program, supported the artist in the Ability Arts program to develop a mural-based project called ‘My Life My Journey’ for, and with, people living with disability.

The project focused on increased opportunities for social interaction and inclusion whilst addressing professional development avenues for young regional artists. Not only was the project able to up-skill those artists living with disability, but also provided a path for skills transfer and capacity-building within the local artistic community.

“In my experience at Community First International working with Ability Arts, I was given support from all staff to ensure my involvement in the ‘My Life My Journey’ project ran efficiently. As a local emerging artist, I was given the tools and advice around the process of applying to become a workshop facilitator.

The team assisted in my involvement with the project artists; passing on skills that enabled me to communicate more effectively when I wanted to encourage greater personal artistic expression from the participates. Thanks to the team at Community First International, I now have the confidence and resources to apply for grants, and become more involved in community projects.”

Jasmine Downard, Mandurah Artist

Impact of the Royalties for Regions Creative Regions in the community: