- More than $900,000 allocated to regional arts projects focused on inclusion and access
- 12 groups to deliver activities celebrating diversity in our regions
- Projects will provide employment for local arts practitioners across regional and remote WA
From an Italian-Yamaji opera to intergenerational arts collaborations, a dozen regional projects will be increasing social inclusion and access to arts and culture.
Through the Community Participation and Inclusion Program (CPIP), 12 groups will have the opportunity to create and deliver arts and culture projects to people from diverse backgrounds across regional and remote communities.
Collectively, these groups will receive $904,960 in funding for activities, which range from artist residencies and arts workshops, through to cultural activities, a musical and a storytelling community engagement program involving a repurposed car wreck.
Administered by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, the following projects have received funding:
- Meridian Regional Arts - $77,449 for a collaborative arts project linking artists with seniors in Merredin;
- North Midlands Project - $79,485 for a series of artist residencies in Carnamah to connect with the surrounding communities;
- Esperance Community Arts - $79,940 for a series of community arts workshops and public events;
- Kimberley Arts Network - $78,750 for six artists to travel to the Kimberley to deliver training and workshops;
- Warlayirti Artists Aboriginal Corporation - $79,950 to extend the delivery of art and cultural activities from Balgo and Mulan;
- Tura New Music - $75,710 for a music and storytelling community outreach and engagement program in ten regional communities in the North West;
- Building Busselton Town Team - $37,966 for a mural in Undalup/Busselton using aspirations and ideas shared by the local Aboriginal community;
- Community Arts Network Western Australia - $80,000 for an intercultural music, dance and digital media project bringing together young people from First Nations and culturally and linguistically diverse communities across Port Hedland;
- Theatre Kimberley - $79,950 to create a large-scale version of Winthali (Fire story) as a keystone event for the 2023 Yajilarra Festival in Fitzroy Crossing;
- Gascoyne in May - $79,820 for Faerial, a Gascoyne-wide community circus project including school holiday and outreach programs, weekly classes, teacher training and social circus productions;
- Yawuru Jarndu Aboriginal Corporation - $76,500 for SKUTTA 2023, regional workshops and a runway event in Broome to develop and celebrate textiles, fashion and performing arts in the Kimberley; and
- Fine Rendition Operatic and Lyrical Intercultural Collaboration - $79,440 for creative development workshops for Yamaji Calisto, an Italian-Yamaji opera and accompanying dance elements in the Mid-West.
CPIP is a grants program delivered as part of the State Government-funded Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program (RACIP). It is open to Western Australian-based organisations, groups and individuals undertaking activities in the regions.
The funding supports the development and delivery of projects with activities starting from 1 May. For more information visit https://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/funding/arts-funding/community-participation-and-inclusion-program
Comments attributed to Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"Making art together is a powerful tool for communication and connection. This funding will draw people and groups together in our regions.
"I'm thrilled that several of the projects are looking to not only engage people from diverse backgrounds, but that they are using art and culture to connect generations. There are valuable learnings to be had when generations speak to each other - and the arts is a wonderful and accessible way to do that.
"The variety of projects funded through the CPIP is impressive. From a public mural to an intercultural hip-hop, street dance and digital media project, I think this funding will produce some exciting projects while also providing work for our creative practitioners in the regions."
Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Don Punch:
"The Community Participation and Inclusion Program generates some amazing projects in the regions, bringing economic and jobs outcomes and creating the kind of communities we want to be part of.
"We have such talent and skills in our regional and remote Western Australian communities, and these innovative arts projects provide important opportunities for artist and community development.
"I look forward to seeing the outcomes of these projects over the coming months."
Culture and the Arts Minister's office - 6552 5400
Regional Development Minister's office -6552 6900
