$29 million for WA arts organisations

• 35 WA arts organisations will share in more than $29 million over three years

• Art forms include visual arts, dance, music and theatre

• Six new arts organisations to receive recurrent funding for the first time 

Thirty-five emerging and established arts organisations will share in more than $29 million over three years to deliver arts and cultural experiences for the Western Australian community.

Culture and the Arts Minister John Day said the organisations would create, develop and deliver activities in visual arts, dance, music and theatre.

"The 35 organisations represent the depth and diversity of the State's arts and cultural sector," Mr Day said.

"They include lead organisations such as PICA and Country Arts WA, which have been funded in recognition of the key role they play in providing services, support and programs on behalf of their specific sectors.

"Other recipients include award-winning Aboriginal performing arts organisation, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company; Artrage, which delivers the annual Fringe Festival; The Last Great Hunt, a company of seven local theatre makers; and Co3, a contemporary dance company.

"Over the next three years, I am confident that all the funded organisations will make a significant contribution to the State's cultural landscape and provide quality arts experiences for artists and audiences alike."

The Minister said a new recurrent funding model was introduced this year.

"The Organisations Investment Program (OIP) is designed to make the funding process more open, transparent and accessible for arts and cultural organisations," he said.

"This has enabled six new arts organisations, Co3, Lost & Found Opera Inc, Marrugeku Inc, Perth Centre for Photography, SymbioticA and The Last Great Hunt, to receive recurrent government funding for the first time.  This will provide them with a stable foundation to further grow their organisations."  

Applications were reviewed by an independent advisory panel consisting of people with high-level experience and expertise across the arts, community and business sectors. 

Fact File

• The next round of OIP will open in 2018 for funding starting in 2019

• In addition to OIP, the Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) provides recurrent funding to Black Swan State Theatre Company, WA Ballet, WA Opera and WA Symphony Orchestra

• DCA also delivers a range of grant programs throughout the year for individuals, groups and small arts organisations

• For more information, visit http://www.dca.wa.gov.au/oip  

Minister's office - 6552 6200

ORGANISATIONS INVESTMENT PROGRAM

1. Art on the Move (Malaga) - provides touring support and management expertise to develop contemporary art touring exhibitions across WA, interstate and internationally
2. Artrage (Perth) - aims to enrich the cultural fabric of Perth through a variety of initiatives including presenting the highly popular Fringe World Festival
3. Artsource (Perth and Fremantle) - the peak body for visual artists in WA, it engages, supports and advocates for local visual artists and establishes partnerships to promote the growth of art in the State
4. Ausdance WA (Perth) - provides leadership, support and advocacy for all forms of dance in the State
5. AWESOME Arts Australia (Perth) - engages with young people under 12 through exciting, inspiring, accessible and challenging arts activities and programs, including the annual AWESOME Festival.
6. Barking Gecko Theatre Company (Subiaco) - has created transformational theatre for audiences of all ages for the last 30 years   
7. Co3 (Perth) - supports and inspires the development of contemporary dance, dancers and dance culture
8. Community Arts Network WA (Perth) - inspires and assists communities to creatively express their unique stories through the arts
9. Country Arts WA (Perth) - delivers a range of arts development , performing arts touring programs, and funding for regional areas of the State
10. DADAA (Fremantle) - offers targeted arts and cultural programs for people with disability or a mental illness, through a range of traditional and new media projects in almost 50 WA communities, and with a focus on creating positive social change
11. FORM (Perth) - independent, not-for-profit cultural organisation established in 1968 that develops and advocates for excellence in creativity and artistic practice in WA
12. Fremantle Arts Centre - a multi art form venue that delivers exhibitions, concerts, residencies and learning programs for children and adults
13. Fremantle Press - independent, not-for-profit publishing house renowned for producing high-quality books by new and established WA authors
14. Goolarri Media Enterprises (Broome) - assists the development of both indigenous and non-indigenous media and communications in the Kimberley
15. International Art Space (Perth) - a recurring event that brings together international and Australian artists with WA communities to explore the relationship between globalisation and local identity
16. Kimberley Aboriginal Law and Culture Centre (Fitzroy Crossing) - supports the traditional cultural practices of the 30 language groups of the Kimberley region through ceremonies, songs and dance
17. Lost & Found Opera Inc (Fremantle) - opera company with a mission to rediscover lost operas and present them in found spaces that speak to the resonance of the work
18. Magabala Books Aboriginal Corporation (Broome) - aims to restore, preserve and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture by producing quality books across a range of genres - social history, fiction, biography, fiction, children's literature and poetry
19. Marrugeku Inc (Broome) - innovative performing arts company which conceives, creates and presents its body of work in indigenous contexts and remote conditions 
20. Musica Viva Australia (Cottesloe) - Australia's oldest independent professional performing arts organisation that inspires musicians and audiences in ensemble music
21. Performing Arts Centre Society (The Blue Room) (Perth) - assists independent theatre makers and presents a year-round program of new and contemporary performances
22. Perth Centre for Photography (Perth) - photomedia gallery providing an environment that promotes the understanding and appreciation of contemporary photographic practices
23. Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA) (Perth) - produces and presents a year-round program of visual arts exhibitions, contemporary dance, theatre and performance
24. pvi collective (Perth) - an interdisciplinary tactile media arts group
25. Propel Youth Arts WA (Perth) - peak body for youth arts in WA that is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people to engage in the arts
26. Spare Parts Puppet Theatre (Fremantle) - Australia's flagship puppetry company since 1981 that shares stories and connects audiences across generations
27. Strut Dance Inc (Perth) - national centre for choreographic development that offers choreographers and dance practitioners with the opportunity to engage with national and international collaborators
28. SymbioticA (Crawley) - research laboratory that enables artists and researchers to engage in a biological science department - hosts residents, workshops, exhibitions and symposiums
29. The Last Great Hunt (Perth) - a collective of seven local theatre makers who make a range of new and exciting theatre in a variety of forms and styles, including new writing, visual and physical theatre and interactive experiences
30. Tura New Music (Perth) - music organisation that initiates cultural development in WA from inner-city Perth to remote communities of the State
31. WA Youth Theatre Company (Perth) - encourage and assist 13 to 27 year-olds to express themselves through high-quality theatre performances
32. West Australian Music Industry Association (Perth) - peak industry body responsible for supporting, nurturing and growing all forms, genres and levels of original contemporary music in WA
33. West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra (Maylands) - engage and challenge emerging jazz musicians to inspire them to reach their greatest potential and captivate audiences
34. Western Australian Youth Orchestra (Perth) - provides quality musical training and performance opportunities for young musicians
35. Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company (Subiaco) - is a leading Aboriginal performing arts organisation that produces award-winning, world-class theatre that is exciting, entertaining, educational, authentic and culturally appropriate