Royalties for Regions Success | Denmark Arts

Regional Arts WA

Photo by Kirsten Sivyer

Denmark is a coastal town located in the Great Southern region of Western Australia.

Art and cultural activities provide opportunities for social interaction, inclusion and community cohesion. The Royalty for Regions Creative Regions program supports Denmark Arts, the peak body for the arts within the Shire of Denmark, in delivering annual events such as the Denmark Festival of Voice.

In 2016, the Denmark Festival of Voice focused on inclusion, in particular, people living with a disability and refugees. There was also a strong Aboriginal presence at the event with the highlight being The Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir, led by Caribbean born Morris Stuart. The choir spans five Aboriginal communities spread over thousands of kilometres, and sings in six languages including traditional Aboriginal languages, English, German and Zulu. The ability for Denmark Arts to provide such unique cultural experiences for their community drives a more diverse and resilient local economy and creates a more liveable and dynamic region.

“Wow. The Festival of Voice is without question a world class arts festival – here, in tiny Denmark, amazing! The organisation, the balance, the local artists, the WA artists, the Australian artists, the free stuff, the kids stuff, the around town stuff – it really is incredible.”

2016 Denmark Festival of Voice Participant

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