The Government of Western Australia has committed more than $2.4 million to support a wide range of arts initiatives, with 42 projects funded through the latest round of the Arts Projects grants programme.
The investment, delivered by the Roger Cook Government, will assist individual artists, groups and organisations to develop, produce and present new work across metropolitan and regional Western Australia.
Seventeen initiatives led by individual artists and groups will share $893,501 through the Arts Projects for Individuals and Groups stream. A further 25 organisation-led projects will receive $1,511,508 under the Arts Projects for Organisations programme.
In the Perth metropolitan area, funded organisations include Perth Centre for Photography, Cloning Music, Damdamé, Cool Change Contemporary, Encounter Theatre and Tone List, alongside Yinjaa-Barni Art Aboriginal Corporation and the Perth Comic Arts Festival Organising Committee. UWA’s Westerly Magazine will receive support for its 2026 publication costs, while ART ON THE MOVE, auspicing a monograph for Nalda Searles, is also among the recipients. The Equity Benevolent Guild of WA has secured funding for the 2026 Performing Arts WA Awards, and 360 Artist Logistics will deliver a music business mentorship programme.
Regional Western Australia features prominently in the funding round. The Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council in the Goldfields-Esperance will deliver ARTitude, a youth-focused programme designed to build creative confidence and wellbeing. In the Great Southern, Australian Baroque will stage the premiere of Six Noongar Seasons as part of Albany’s Bicentenary in 2026, while ArtSouthWA will support the Festival of Halls and Easter Art Festival. In the Pilbara, Kunawarritji Aboriginal Corporation will produce the debut album of the Wild Dingo Band.
In the South West, Arts Margaret River will deliver the 2026 Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival, and Bunbury Fringe will present its 2026 programme. State-wide initiatives include annual programmes from Southern Forest Arts and Seesaw Magazine. Touring projects will see South Summit Band undertake a national tour, The Southern River Band perform across the United Kingdom and Europe, and Art Collective WA present Western Australian artists at art fairs in Melbourne and Sydney.
Among the individual recipients in Perth are Mark Neal for BLOOM, a Western Australian music showcase; Sarah Nelson for the premiere season of Into the Fog; and Glenn Watson for Strange Festival 2026. Oron Catts will present a 30-year retrospective of the Tissue Culture & Art Project at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. Graphic novelist Campbell Whyte has received support for How to Survive a World on Fire, while Martina Van der Eecken will progress Art Meets Science: Sculptural Archive.
Other funded artists include Sally Richardson for regional residencies in Harvey and Karratha, Nick Pages-Oliver for the redevelopment of Same Time Next Week, and Leigh Gardiner for the 2026 season of Tender is the Night. Lauren Marchbank, Quindell Orton and Justine McKnight are also among the beneficiaries, alongside Beverley Anne Farren for the WA Contemporary Fashion Project. In the Kimberley, Monique Le Lievre will produce and record the album Stellar Moon. Great Southern author Madelaine Dickie has secured funding to complete her literary gothic novel Milk Teeth.
National and international projects include Desmond Mah’s participation in a group exhibition in Singapore and Siddharth Pattni’s overseas residency and exhibition.
Creative Industries Minister Simone McGurk said the funding would enable Western Australian artists to share their stories, music, language and cultural heritage with audiences across the State and beyond.
“This investment will help Western Australian artists share their stories, music, language and cultural heritage with audiences across our State and beyond,” she said.
“From literature and visual arts to music, festivals and digital innovation, these projects showcase the diverse and outstanding talent of WA creatives.
“The Cook Government is committed to supporting our creative industries, strengthening local careers, and ensuring communities throughout Western Australia can access rich and engaging cultural experiences.”
The funding forms part of the Government’s broader strategy to build a sustainable creative sector, expand opportunities for practitioners and increase community participation in the arts across Western Australia.
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