Goldfields-EsperanceThe Goldfields-Esperance region is the largest in Western Australia. It incorporates nine local government areas: the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Shires of Coolgardie, Dundas, Esperance, Laverton, Leonora, Menzies, Ngaanyatjarraku and Ravensthorpe.

Size: 771,276 km² Population: 60,000 Regional centres: Kalgoorlie and Esperance

SuperTowns: Esperance Key industries: Mining, agriculture, aquaculture and tourism

Arts and culture across the region

• The Goldfields region is hosting the ‘Arts & Edges’ Regional Arts Australia Summit presented by Country Arts WA in Kalgoorlie-Boulder in October 2014.

• The Goldfields Arts Centre is the only multi-functional arts venue in the Goldfields region. It features a 700-seat theatre, function room, ensemble room, dance studio and an art gallery.

• Esperance has two theatre spaces: the Esperance Civic Centre has a 200-seat reception room and a 500-seat auditorium for concerts, theatre, and civic functions. The Bijou Theatre is Western Australia’s oldest purpose-built theatre and home to the Esperance Theatre Guild.

• Artgold supports local artists, art groups, craftspeople and artisans, and aims to build a solid arts network and local database, create and attract events to the region, and showcase local talent to the wider community.

• There are a number of thriving Aboriginal arts and cultural enterprises in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands including the Western Desert Mob members Maruku Arts, Minyma Kutjara Artists, Papulankutja Artists, Kayili Artists, Tjanpi Desert Weavers, Tjarlili Art and Warakurna Artists.

• Other community-based initiatives in the Lands include the Warburton Arts Project, the Wilurarra Creative Hub, Ngaanyatjarra Media and the Blackstone Festival.

• Sand Tracks, a Country Arts WA initiative, is a successful Aboriginal music industry development program in the Lands, which has generated income, developed new audiences and raised the profile of Aboriginal musicians through cross-border partnerships.

• Spinifex Arts Project is one of the Western Desert’s most productive and established arts initiatives.

• Esperance Community Arts (ECA) is an umbrella organisation for local arts and cultural groups. ECA is funded by the Department of Culture and the Arts (DCA) via devolved funding to Country Arts WA’s Core Arts Fund.

• ECA members include the Cannery Arts Centre, Recherche Writers, Esperance Theatre Guild, Esperance Photographers Club, the Esperance Music Festival, the Festival of the Wind, Esperance Drumming Group, Friends of the Civic Centre, Nulsen Community Progress Association and the Bay of Isles Community Outreach.

• The Western Australian Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder showcases the rich history of the Eastern Goldfields and the city’s mining heritage.

Martin Meader with the Turlku Birni Community Choir, Western Desert Kidney Health Project, Menzies. Photo by Matt Scurfield.

Department of Culture and the Arts funding in the region

• DCA provided funding of $300,000 over three years to establish the Western Desert Kidney Health Project, a ground-breaking arts health project in 10 Western Desert communities. Delivery partners include The Rural Clinical School of WA – The University of Western Australia, the Bega Garnbirringu Health Service, Goldfields – Midwest Medicare Local and Wongutha Birni Aboriginal Corporation.

• DCA provided funding of $200,000 towards the Ngaanyatjarra Music Strategy, a three-year development program to help the Ngaanyatjarra communities develop and establish a vibrant music industry in the region.

• DCA provided $210,000 to assist DADAA with the establishment of the Emergence Project in Esperance. The project aims to build long term cross-sector partnerships and provide access to arts activities for people living with mental illness and disabilities.

Arts and cultural priorities in the region

Outcomes from focus group consultations provide valuable insight into regional priorities that will guide the collaborative development of future initiatives by government, arts organisations and the local community. Regional priorities as identified by participants of the Goldfields-Esperance focus group include:

• Addressing ongoing operational issues of the Goldfields Arts Centre, including ownership, management and funding.

• Building the capacity and professionalism of local visual artists through provision of studio and exhibition space and targeted programs to develop curatorial expertise.

• Increasing philanthropy, business sponsorship and government investments, which will be critical to the long-term sustainability of community-based organisations in regional WA.

• Employment of a regional arts and cultural officer, to provide support to small not-for-profit organisations and local volunteers.

• Extension of the Warburton Arts Project’s Tjulyurru Cultural and Civic Centre, as identified in the Goldfields Esperance Development Commission’s Strategic Plan.

• Development of a public art policy by the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder which would help to ensure a strategic approach to commissioning and allocation of funds.

• Ensuring regional arts and cultural infrastructure is maintained and upgraded to keep pace with changing uses and needs of the local community.

• Provision of additional staffing resources for both Artgold and Esperance Community Arts, which rely on part-time staff and volunteers.

• Increasing support for the creative industries in remote communities, which are essential to regional economies.

• Undertaking a research project to demonstrate how creative industries can benefit the local economy and positively impact community well-being.

• Strengthening of intra-regional networks, which are important for resilience and effective resource sharing.

• Provision of specialised skills and professional development training, as well as mentorships and training programs for artists and arts workers in the region.

• Development of career pathways is essential to retain professional artists in the region.

• Providing access to new technologies, which is a priority for isolated communities.

Region-specific actions

Priorities Key Partners Actions Timeline

Objective 1: Creative People

1.2 Cultural internship program

Culture and the Arts Portfolio agencies; Art on the Move

DCA will develop opportunities to increase the curatorial expertise needed to build capacity in the Goldfields region.

2015–16

Objective 3: Creative Environments

3.3 Regional Partnership Model

City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder; Department of Training and Workforce Development (DTWD)

DCA will work in partnership with the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the DTWD on the revitalisation of the Goldfields Art Centre.

2014–15

Objective 4: Creative Economies

4.2 Support for regional arts and cultural festivals and arts enterprises

Regional Arts Australia; Country Arts WA;Goldfields- Esperance Development Commission (GEDC)

DCA will support the GEDC (lead agency) to plan the development of an arts and culture trail from Hopetoun in the Shire of Ravensthorpe to Warburton or Warakurna.

2015–162016–17

Ngaanyatjarra

Tjuntjuntjara

Laverton

Kalgoorlie-Boulder

RavensthorpeHopetoun Esperance

12

3

4 5

1

1

21

5

43

6

12

3

4

1

1

Arts and Cultural Infrastructure

Kalgoorlie-Boulder 1 Goldfields Arts Centre 2 West Australian Museum – Kalgoorlie-Boulder 3 Artgold4 Stage Left Theatre Troupe 5 Wongutha Birni Aboriginal Corporation

Laverton1 Laverton Leonora Cross Cultural Association

Esperance 1 Esperance Civic Centre 2 Cannery Arts Centre 3 Esperance Community Arts including:

Recherche Writers; Esperance Theatre Guild; Esperance Photographers Club; the Esperance Music Festival; the Festival of the Wind; Esperance Drumming Group; Friends of the Civic Centre; Nulsen Community Progress Association; Bay of Isles Community Outreach

4 Bijou Theatre

Hopetoun1 Hopetoun Progress Association

Ngaanyatjarra Lands 1 Western Desert Mob art centres including:

Maruku Arts; Tjanpi Desert Weavers; Papulankuntja Artists; Tjarlili Art; Kayili Artists; Warakurna Artists; Minyma Kutjara Artists

2 Tjulyuru Cultural and Civic Centre3 Warburton Arts Project4 Wilurarra Creative Hub 5 Ngaanyatjarra Media6 Blackstone Festival

Ravensthorpe 1 Ravensthorpe Regional Arts Council

Tjuntjuntjara1 Spinifex Arts Project