Indigenous culture brought to life in regional WA

By PETER ROWE

One of Australia’s leading Indigenous Intercultural dance groups is among 15 organisations set to receive a total of $700,000 in State support to help regional communities access and participate in cultural activities.

The Marrageku dance group, based in Broome, WA, will receive $60,000 for The Cut the Sky Installation project, which will run from August this year.

“It is great to see so many wonderful arts and culture activities in regional WA. The diversity of this year’s successful applicants highlights the depth of WA’s creative industries,” Arts Minister David Templeman said.

33 towns and cities across WA have been involved in delivering some exciting projects and events for 2025 and 2026, including $55,200 for the The Waugal Rising – A Ballardong First Interpretation Along the Gogular Bilya/Avon River in York.

Cultural storytelling, hip-hop song creation, a readers and writers festival, and a country music muster are just some of the activities aware grants.

The recipients of the 2024-25 Arts Activities in Regional Communities program are:

• Arts Margaret River Inc – $26,085 for the Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival, running from 2 to 4 May 2025;
• Big hART Inc – $57,500 for the Sister-in-Law Dreaming: Pilbara and Kimberley Women in Cultural and Artistic Exchange, running from April 2025 to April 2026;
• Bunbury Fringe Inc – $49,033 for the 2025 Bunbury Fringe Festival, running in January 2025;
• Camera Story Ltd – $60,000 for The Next Step: New Stories, New Technologies, New Artists;
• Charmaine Green – $57,967 for Yamaji Silence Listening;
• Country Music Club of Boyup Brook – $58,000 for the 2026 Boyup Brook Country Music Muster, running from 13 to 15 February 2026;
• Dawn Elena Pascoe – $21,706 for Stilt Dancing in the South West;
• Denmark Arts Council Inc – $52,077 for Brave New Works #31, running in April 2025;
• GalleriesWest Inc – $60,000 for the WA Regional Arts Triennial #3;
• Marrugeku Inc – $60,000 for the Cut The Sky Installation Project, running in August and September 2025;
• Nadia Priolo – $50,844 for Shifting Ground – A New Dance Project for Young Artists in the Mid West, running from May to July 2025;
• Shire of York – $55,200 for The Waugal Rising – A Ballardong First Interpretation Along the Gogular Bilya/Avon River in York;
• The Literature Centre Inc – $33,032 for The Sound of Picture Books Performances and Community Workshops, running from 16 to 28 October 2025;
• Town of Port Hedland – $40,000 for the South Hedland Public Art Project, running in May 2025;
• West Australian Youth Jazz Orchestra – $33,260 for 5 Steps Forward: Empowering Narrogin Youth Through Music Making, running throughout 2025.