RAF Grant Recipients

Yael Harris | $3,000 | South West

Regional artist Yael Harris will travel to Sydney to rewrite her screenplay’s second draft with mentor Di Drew.

Ngaanyatjarra Media | $4,990 | Goldfields-Esperance

NG Media will support Moonlight Reggae Band and Katrina Connelly at Bush Bands Business, providing travel, mentoring, and documentation to build skills, industry connections, and cultural storytelling through workshops and the Bush Bands Bash performance.

Charlotte White | $3,000 | South West

Charlotte White will attend the annual Essence of Hoi An Craftmanship Festival where she will extend her skillbase through a series of art and craft workshops.

Ersilla Tarantino | $2,980 | Mid West

Local artists will host an interactive art trail in Geraldton, featuring open studios, workshops, talks, and tours of historic buildings.

Exmouth Youth Centre | $3,900 | Gascoyne

Kaboom Toons will run workshops at the Exmouth Youth Centre during the September/October school holidays, providing local children with hands-on art experiences that foster creativity, engagement, and connection with their community and the newly established Youth Centre.

Danielle Fitzgerald | $3,000 | South West
Venus 8 is a documentary photo series on women and non-binary erotic labourers’ pre-performance states. Selected for Head On Photo Festival 2025, it will be exhibited at THS Gallery.

Vickie Wagner | $3,000 | Pilbara
Vickie Wagner will travel to Darwin with Peter Salmon and Rekeshia Goodwin to present a keynote at Puliima and perform with Warralgurniya, sharing their family’s journey of language revival, musical storytelling, and cultural connection in a rare, powerful event.

Magabala Books | $3,241 | Kimberley
Magabala Books will attend PULiiMA in Darwin, presenting authors Maree McCarthy Yoelu and Marie Munkara, with Skye Cusack representing the publisher, supporting authors, and engaging in professional development on First Nations languages and culture.

Tracy Hill | $1,600 | Goldfields-Esperance
Tracy Hill will attend an in-person masterclass with Spare Part Puppet Theatre.

Linda Scotti | $1,920 | Great Southern
A week-long Puppetry Masterclass in Fremantle will provide hands-on training in puppet design, fabrication, and performance, enabling Linda to transition from online learning to in-person practice and bring community-based puppetry to Denmark.

Joshua Button | $880 | Kimberley
Funding supports venue hire in Broome for a collaboration with Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman to animate a teaser for The Buttonverse, a visual storytelling project using Aboriginal language and accessibility tools, while developing new creative and technical skills.

Karen West | $2,622.75 | South West
Karen West, a feature poet at the 2025 Perth Poetry Festival, will perform four times, present experimental and traditional work, attend workshops, and use the experience for career development.

Idan Shoham | $1,204.78 | Gascoyne
Idan Shoham will travel to the Sound States mentorship program to strengthen his music career through industry mentoring and creative development.

Arts Narrogin Inc. | $4986 | Wheatbelt
Arts Narrogin staff Brad and Melanie will attend APAX 2025 in Darwin for professional development and sector networking.

Cassy  Turner | $2,971 | Great Southern

Cassy will attend the National Training Project at the prestigious Flying Fruit Fly Circus in NSW for a personalised mentorship program with elite circus coaches and performers, developing physical circus skills and learning modern training techniques.

Desert Wave Records | $5,000 | Pilbara

Family Shoveller Band will deliver a high-energy live performance at Whalebone Brewery in Exmouth and run five interactive music workshops with students at Exmouth District High School and Baynton West Primary School, fostering cultural connection and creative expression through storytelling, rhythm, and language on Country.

Leola Robinson | $3,000 | South West

Leola will attend the 2025 Songwriters Retreat in Queensland led by Francesca de Valence and Emma Bosworth.

Carolina Furque | $2,605 | Peel

Carolina will attend the 2025 LIBRIS Awards where her book ‘I Am No Longer There” is a finalist.

Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council | $4,911| Goldfields-Esperance

Rave About Arts aims to build a sustainable vocal program by mentoring regional artists through Paige Valentine, a renowned singer-songwriter. The initiative will train local facilitators in vocal technique, ensemble coaching, and workshop delivery, ensuring continued youth engagement in music after their current tutor departs. 

Enterprize Partnerships WA | $5,000 | South West

Piriwa, supported by EPWA and mentors, will showcase a First Nations fashion collection at KAFTA in Broome. Eight women from Balgo will attend runway shows, markets, and workshops, fostering economic empowerment and cultural expression.

Mellen Burns | $1,185.22 | Goldfields-Esperance

Photography finalist, Mellen Burns will attend the Galah Regional Photography Prize in Armidale to network, participate in events, and gain industry insights.

Adele Oliver | $3,000 | Kimberley

Adele Oliver has been accepted into the 2025 DAG Sheep Station Autumn Songwriting Retreat in Nundle, NSW. This competitive program offers workshops, mentorship, and collaboration with top Australian songwriters, enhancing her skills and industry connections.

Tracy Leigh | $2,830 | South West

A photography exhibition of 35–45 macro works exploring contextual separation from reality. Touring three regional galleries in 2025, it includes digital displays, mentorship, and a mental health-focused community workshop using creative arts for recovery and improved mental health outcomes.

Molly Schmidt | $2,832.80 | Great Southern

Attending Newcastle Writer’s Festival as a guest speaker, Molly will join panels on Coming of Age Stories and On Love and Loneliness, discussing themes from Salt River Road. Representing regional WA, she will network, build her profile, and engage in professional development opportunities.

Jonathon Veitch | $3,000 | South West
South 76 will perform at the 2025 Tamworth Country Music Festival on January 18 (Toyota Fanzone) and January 20 (JB Hi-Fi stage), with interviews booked on KIX Country and 2TM.

Chloe Flockart | $3,000 | Wheatbelt
Central Wheatbelt artist Chloe Flockart will develop a bioplastic recipe using invasive South-West plant species during a three-week residency. This research ensures her biodegradable sculptures meet ecological goals and community engagement needs for a 2025 festival initiative.

Liyan Foundation | $5,000 | Kimberley
Renowned artist Joshua Yeldham will mentor Aboriginal artist Lloyd Kwilla during a two-week residency, enhancing his painting, sculpting, and wood engraving skills while exploring cultural narratives and providing insights into the contemporary art market for professional growth.

Alex Desebrock | $3,000 | Goldfields-Esperance
Alex Desebrock will undertake a 6-week residency at The Cannery Arts Centre, exploring “Tree Listening” through workshops, an immersive installation, and public talks.

Olivia Gamage | $3,000 | South West
Olive Mae has been selected as the sole WA artist for a prestigious 12-day Australian Country Music Academy residency, offering mentorship, workshops, performances, and career training to enhance her skills, visibility, and connections within the country music industry.

Leanna Shoveller | $1,735.12 | Kimberley
Leanna Shoveller will produce and distribute a new CD for promotion at the Nannup Music Festival and purchase a guitar and amplifier to support her solo performances in the Kimberley.

Arts Margaret River | $3,164.24 | South West

Sian Baker, Artistic Director of the Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, will attend the inaugural Regional Australia Writers Festivals Conference and connect with East Coast literary networks. In Sydney, she will meet with publishers and the Sydney Writers Festival team to explore opportunities for showcasing Western Australian writers. 

Northwest Multicultural Association WA Inc | $5,000 | Kimberley

The Northwest Multicultural Festival, on the weekend of October 19th in Karratha, celebrates cultural diversity through music, dance, and culinary delights. With 500-700 attendees, the event promotes inclusivity and showcases local artists through interactive workshops and performances, highlighting the region’s rich cultural heritage and artistic traditions.

Radio Margaret River | $5,000 | South West

Young@Heart is a weekly community performance at the Heart, showcasing local artists to a free audience. This initiative promotes artists’ careers, enhances their stage experience, and shares their work with a broader audience.

Katie Breckon | $2,939 | Kimberley

Kimberley artist Katie Breckon is participating in Fremantle Arts Centre’s exchange with the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in Dublin. Over ten weeks, she’ll explore historic collections and natural materials, focusing on belonging and diaspora by tracing historic harvesting practices and plant symbolism.

Sarah Francis | $3,000 | South West

WILD-LIFE is an immersive dance and sound experience debuting at Sydney Fringe 2024. Sarah and Alex will gather feedback to refine it for West Australian audiences, incorporating interactive elements to connect children with themselves, others, and nature for future touring.

Brittany Pfeiffer | $3,000 | Kimberley

The six-week Japan residency will focus on creating ceramic pieces for a traditional anagama wood firing, culminating in an exhibition.

Symantha Parr | $3,000 | Great Southern

Choreographer Sym Parr will create a roving dance performance featuring two dancers in wildflower-inspired costumes for the Bloom Festival opening in Broomehill on September 22nd. The dancers, “Albany’s Belle Fleurs,” will perform a short ballet and mingle with the audience, celebrating the region’s indigenous flora through joyful, improvised dance.

Bunbury Writers Group Inc | $913 | South West

A WA Poetry Slam finalist will lead a four-hour interactive workshop introducing slam poetry. Participants will learn to craft compelling narratives, master stage presence, and engage in group critiques and live practice. The workshop will foster creativity, confidence, and offer tools for captivating audiences, welcoming poets of all levels. 

David Kent | $3,000 | South West

Selected as a finalist in the Ekka’s 10th Annual Country Music Showdown, David Kent will perform original music and a cover at Brisbane Showgrounds. Competing for over $70,000 in prizes, including a guitar, scholarship, and performance opportunities.

Yael Harris | $3,000 | South West

“Every Tree Has a Name” is a poetry video installation highlighting old-growth forest logging. Filmed on August 15th at Bibra Lake, it will feature a nighttime reading with projected images and words. The installation debuts at the Perth Poetry Festival Gala on August 23rd, 2024.

Arts & Culture Inc | $5,000 | Goldfields-Esperance

Workshops engage participants in book and zine making,  motivating and providing new skills. Each participant creates a book, learning binding and printing techniques. Led by experienced educator Matt Dunne, the hands-on workshops cater to all ages and skill levels. Participants leave with their own book and guides for future projects.

Matthew Sforcina | $3,000 | South West

Musician Matthew Sforcina will attend a 7-week seminar series on Persian, Turkish, and Arabic modal music by Ross Daly at Labyrinth Music School in Crete.

Helen Seiver | $1,786 | South West

Artist Helen Seiver will attend the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial Conference IOTA 2024. This year’s conference, focusing on ‘inherent languages’ and ‘aesthetic capacity’ of handmade crafts, will provide a platform for Helen to express personal issues through traditional methods, enhancing her artistic practice and connections.

Jane Davies| $3,000| Great Southern

Puppeteer Jane Davies will participate in a two-week residency hosted by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre to explore a tri-screened shadow booth that she designed. The project involves combining projection, live animation, varied lighting and sound.

Ingarlgalandij Arts and Culture Hub| $5,000 | Kimberley

Ingarlgalandij Arts and Culture Hub will attend the 2024 Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair, empowering Bardi Jawi artists through opportunities for learning, growth, and national recognition. This event supports cultural exchange, marketing, and networking, marking a significant experience for the community.

Nagula Jarndu | $5,000 | Kimberley

Rowena Morgan (Kija), Dena Gower (Noongar), and Cecilia Tigan (Mayala) have been selected to participate in the NATSIAA (National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards) and will attend the ceremony and speak at an artist panel in Darwin. Their artwork ‘jarndunil jijawiliwili niyamarri’ will be displayed at The Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory.

Carly Le Cerf | $3,000 | Great Southern

Carly Le Cerf will participate in the BigCi residency program in Bilpin, Sydney Australia, situated on the edge of Wollemi National Park within the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Greater Blue Mountains. The residency is 6-8 months and will inform the creation of a new body of work.

Abdul-Rahman Abdullah | $3,000 | Peel

Abdul-Raman Abdullah and Anna Louise Richardson have been invited to join ‘Horse Girl Energy’ at LaTrobe Regional Gallery, exploring contemporary horse culture and its historical roots. The exhibition celebrates the Horse Girl stereotype, reflecting on human-animal relationships and the symbolism of horses. The artists will travel to LaTrobe Regional Gallery for the installation, openings, and talks with this exhibition.

Warlayirti Artists | $5,000 | Kimberley

Dulcie Nanala Napaltjarri will debut a solo exhibition in Sydney, facilitated by Warlayirti Artists and Aboriginal Contemporary and inspired by a transformative journey across the Great Sandy Desert to Wilkinkarra, her father’s homeland. Dulcie’s artwork portray the desert’s hues and textures, embodying her Tjukurrpa (creation story) with clay pans and water holes. The grant will aid Dulcie’s travel, enabling her to share insights into her art and culture during an artist talk.

Waringarri Arts Aboriginal Corporation | $5,000 | Kimberley 

Angelina Karadada Boona, a senior artist at the Kira Kiro Artists Project in Kalumburu, has been supported by the Aboriginal Contemporary Gallery in Sydney since 2020. They’ve offered her a solo exhibition slot in April, which presents a crucial opportunity for promoting her work and enhancing her professional development through audience engagement. Angelina will also mentor her granddaughter, Edreena Karadada, during this trip, providing her with valuable guidance and inspiration. 

Amanda Gardiner | $2,286 | South West

“It Woke the Town Up” is an exhibition spotlighting the 1976 Bunbury woodchip bombing, a protest against old growth forest logging in Western Australia. Initially presented in the 2023 Bunbury Regional Art Gallery Biennale and the 2023 National Trust’s Sharing Stories Australian Heritage Festival, it’s now set to tour the Museum of the Great Southern in 2024. Funding aids curator Amanda Gardiner’s travel and accommodation costs from April to May 2024.

Elise Fenn | $3,000 | Kimberley 

Elise Fenn, an arts therapist, participated in a two-week cross-cultural therapeutic arts exchange in Tanzania in February 2024, hosted by Global Africa Alliance. Supported by the Arts Institute of the University of Chicago and East African practitioners, she gained insights into arts programs for vulnerable populations. She spent an additional three weeks in Tanzania and Rwanda researching organisations addressing social issues through the arts, enriching her toolkit for her work in the Kimberley. 

Siobhan Maiden | $3,000 | South West 

Attending the Perth Festival Producer Forum fostered connections, community, and insightful discussions. Producers engaged in masterclasses, one-on-one sessions, and shared experiences on presenting new works and working with diverse casts. 

David Kent | $3,000 | South West 

David Kent performed at the 2024 Tamworth Country Music Festival, showcasing his original compositions on guitar. He also appeared on 2TM Radio Tamworth. 

Monique Le Lievre | $2,300 | Kimberley 
The band Stellar Moon will travel from Rubibi (Broome) to Boorloo (Perth) to perform at the 2023 WAM (Western Australian Music) Industry conference, regional roundtable and showcase performance. Upon returning home, Monique will hold a sharing session for local musicians and providing a written report for the local Media organisation.

Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman | $2,363 | Kimberley 
Bernadette Trench-Thiedeman will participate in the 2023 Kaaysa Artist Residency, Brazil with a  focus on inter-species connections and immersion in the local environment. She will share her experiences and learnings from the residency through media interviews, a public presentation and discussion forum with Kimberley artists, communities and arts bodies including the Kimberley Arts Network, Goolarri Media and Theatre Kimberley.

Kirsty Wyatt | $3,000 | South West
The Portraits In Time: A Celebration Of Life exhibition will be curated at the Art Geo Complex to celebrate the lives and contributions of the older generation of Busselton.

Derby District High School | $5,000 | Kimberley
The performing arts students will travel to Mandurah to compete in the finals of YOH-Fest

Broome Aboriginal Media Association Aboriginal Corporation | $3,060 | Kimberley
Travel support for emerging First Nations write, Tahnee Carter to attend the Varuna First Nations Writers Residency

Codee-Lee Down | $3,000 | South West
Codee-Lee with partake in the Senior Course (professional development residency) at the Australian Country Music Academy.

Ashlyn (Jada) Koh | $3,000 | Kimberley
First Block Sounds will hold two day Women in Music workshops in Derby, Mowanjum, Fitzroy Crossing and Broome for women who play or have an interest in music and songwriting.

Jessica Ruggera | $3,000 | Great Southern
The Girl with the Missing Puzzle Piece is a community dance production about people, autism and mental health. The funding will support the mentorship and collaboration between Jessica Ruggera and Emily O’Brien. Emily will produce, choreograph and direct her first production.

Lex Randolph | $2,541 | Kimberley
The creative development workshops of Emotional First Aid Ambulance (EFAA) will take place in the Creative Hub at the AWESOME Festival. EFAA is a contemporary and participatory creative work for children that focuses on social-emotional situations that foster learning and confidence through play.

Southern Forest Arts | $2,480 | South West
Southern Forest Arts will feature our cultural-tourism attraction, the Understory Art & Nature Trail, on Series 2 of the popular 9/WIN Network’s TV series ‘Everything Outdoors’.

Tjuma Pulka Media Aboriginal Corporation | $2,207 | Goldfields-Esperance
A group of creative leaders, innovators, immersive and experimental artists have been invited to attend the REMIX Summit by the DLGSC. The workshop will allow Tjuma Pulka to participate and network with other WA digital artists and form partnerships where we can work together developing and producing our Mega Fauna Project.

Linda Rae Belton | $2,770 | Goldfields-Esperance
Kalgoorlie-Boulder – Karkurla Artist, Linda Rae will create a new artwork to be showcased at Castaways Sculpture Awards 2023.

Rose (Sita) Bennett | $3,000 | South West
The editing, publication, and promotion of the final novel in an uplifting fantasy adventure series for young adults, written by regional South-West Australian author Sita Bennett.

Carolina Furque | $2,930 | Kimberley
Support to undertake an art residency at Beverley Station in September 2023. During the residency Carolina will create new photographic work, portraits of locals from an inclusive selection of Beverley locals, including the Ballardong people and the recent migrants from East Africa and South East Asia.

Ray Jones | $2,852.05 | South West
An artistic development project: recording and releasing a collaborative single for entry into the WA Country Music Awards, leveraging the joint success of Ray Jones, Male Artist of the Year, and Codee-Lee, Female Artist of the Year.

Savanah Solomon | $2,915 | Wheatbelt
Marketing and branding support for Savanah Solomon’s artistic development and to promotion of her North West Regional Tour.

Molly Werner | $2,998.95 | South West
A professional development opportunity for two design assistants to be mentored by Molly Werner, Set and Costume Designer for the theatre production, Medusa.

The Cannery Arts Centre Inc. | $4,714 | Goldfields-Esperance
Esther MacDowell (Yabini Kickett), an early career Noongar artist, is invited to the Cannery Arts Centre as an artist in residence. The purpose of her residency will largely be based around community engagement with school aged children and in workshops to children and adults.

Thomas Broadbent | $3,000 | South West
Australian band, Great Gable are performing in Broome as part of their regional tour of WA. This is also a professional development opportunity that encourages
tour organisation, maximising exposure (promotion) and stage craft.

Waringarri Arts Aboriginal Corporation | $2,622.73 | Kimberley
The Boonkaj (Miriwoong word meaning ‘coming out’) Local Launch is an opportunity for local artists, dancers and community members to ‘come out’ and showcase their talents as performers while presenting the unique designs of the Waringarri Arts textile artists who have created the Boonkaj Collection fashion range.

Elliot Brown | $2,466 | Mid West
Elliot Brown will travel to Canberra to attend the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2023 where his work ‘Jaye’ has been selected as a finalist.

Sarah Landro | $5,000 | Kimberley
The Piriwa Placemaking Mural is a collaborative community arts project designed to provide remotely based First Nations women the resources to creatively express their stories, lived experiences and culture via traditional and contemporary art forms through a series of arts-based workshops at Piriwa, Balgo.

Arts Margaret River | $3,808 | South West
The project will showcase the work of new playwright Melody Dia and a team of Aboriginal regional and remote creatives and actors in the development of a new 25 minute teaser production and staging of ‘Car Stories’ at the Margaret River Readers & Writer Festival 2023.

Emily Barker | $2,880 | South West
Emily Barker will travel to the US in June 2023 to be the opening act for Grammy award winner singer Mary Chapin Carpenter.