- Seven applicants set to share in $691,060
investment through Regional Aboriginal Arts Development program
- Program provides funding for projects that
support the development of Aboriginal artists and the Aboriginal arts and
cultural sector in regional Western Australia
- Part of the Cook Labor Government's Regional
Creative Industries Fund
- Cook Labor Government fostering a vibrant and
creative economy
The Aboriginal creative
sector in Western Australia is being strengthened through a range of
storytelling and creative initiatives thanks to a $691,060 investment from the
Cook Labor Government.
Seven Aboriginal arts and
culture groups from across Western Australia will receive funding to develop
new art works and strengthen business development and capacity as part of the
Regional Aboriginal Arts Development program.
The recipients for the
2026 Regional Aboriginal Arts Development program are:
- Wardandi
Wanil Art Centre in the South West region - $47,185 to develop governance
capacity and support the centre in establishing an Art Leadership Group to build foundations for a culturally grounded
artist-led centre;
- Magabala Books
in the Kimberley region - $50,000 to build business development, participate in
trade fairs, and support national and international market engagement to
benefit First Nations artists;
- Bidyadanga
Aboriginal Community La Grange in the Kimberley region - $50,000 to upgrade a database and website, and engage in digital
storytelling and audience development;
- Tjarlirli Art
Indigenous Corporation in the Goldfields-Esperance region - $95,361 to deliver
silk painting workshops supporting intergenerational learning and create
high-quality silk works;
- Warakurna Artists Aboriginal Corporation in the
Goldfields-Esperance region - $148,514 to develop and deliver workshops for artists
Nola Campbell, Nyungawarra Ward, Nancy Jackson, and Maureen Baker to create
high-quality paintings of scale and significance for exhibitions;
- Martumili Artists in the Pilbara region -
$150,000 for mid-career artists, Owen Biljabu, Marianne Burton, and Marlene
Anderson to create ambitious and bold new works and achieve identified career
milestones; and
- Warmun Art Aboriginal Corporation in the Kimberley region - $150,000 to develop a truth-telling project about Gija Joomooloony, a 750-year-old boab tree relocated
from Gija Country to Kings Park, culminating in a large-scale audio-visual work.
This funding forms part
of the Cook Labor Government's commitment to regional arts through the Regional
Creative Industries Fund.
Comments attributed to
Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk:
"Aboriginal art is
recognised globally for its power to connect us with stories from ancient
cultures and the contemporary experiences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander peoples.
"The Cook Labor
Government is proud to support Aboriginal-led art organisations with real
opportunities to share stories and boost economic development.
"The Regional Aboriginal
Arts Development program connects regional and remote artist communities with
development opportunities and audiences in national and international
arenas."
Comments attributed to
Regional Development Minister Stephen Dawson:
"The Cook Labor Government is proud to invest in Aboriginal arts and
culture as part of our commitment to growing creative industries across
regional WA.
"Aboriginal artists are some of Western Australia's most important
storytellers, and this investment, funded through the government's Royalties
for Regions Program, will help ensure their stories, knowledge, and creative
practices continue for future generations."
