- Regional Exhibitions Touring Boost increases visual arts exhibitions in the regions
- First series of exhibitions to regional WA announced
A series of small, 'capsule' exhibitions will be developed with regional galleries as part of the McGowan Government's $8 million Regional Exhibitions Touring Boost (RETB) election commitment.
In conjunction with project partners ART ON THE MOVE and the Art Gallery of Western Australia (AGWA), Freighting of Ideas will connect people and stories across the regions with the State's art collection and increase the capacity of regional galleries to present a wide variety of works.
Comprised of up to 10 works of art from the State's collection, it is proposed that the first capsule exhibitions will be hung in Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Carnarvon Library and Art Gallery, Collie Art Gallery, Ningaloo Centre, Geraldton Regional Art Gallery, Katanning Art Gallery, Vancouver Arts Centre and the East Pilbara Arts Centre.
Over the next six years, the RETB will create more opportunities for regional Western Australians to engage with visual arts by increasing the number of touring exhibitions available to regional audiences.
As part of the RETB, the capacity for regional galleries to receive and present touring visual art exhibitions will be assessed and upgraded. This includes the professional development of gallery staff and artists, improved gallery education resources and digitised learning programs.
The RETB also includes the planning and delivery of a major Aboriginal exhibition at the Art Gallery of Western Australia. The exhibition builds on AGWA's Desert River Sea project, and will feature culturally significant artworks commissioned from participating Kimberley Aboriginal Art Centres. The intention is that selected works from the project will tour widely in the following years.
As stated by Culture and the Arts Minister David Templeman:
"The arts play a vital role in supporting the social, cultural and economic growth of regional communities.
"The RETB will give regional Western Australians an improved arts and cultural experience, and help boost their local economies."
As stated by Acting Regional Development Minister Rita Saffioti:
"Bringing more visual arts to our regions will boost job opportunities by attracting visitors to regional communities.
"The RETB will also create a platform for more local artists to showcase their work to a wider regional audience."
