NAVA welcomes Western Australia’s 10-Year Vision for Culture, Arts, and Creative Industries
Media Release
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) warmly welcomes the release of Creative WA, the Western Australian Government’s 10-year vision for culture, arts, and creative industries. This forward-looking strategy recognises the essential role of artists and arts workers in shaping public life, fostering community connections, and driving economic growth.
NAVA applauds the explicit recognition of artists as workers, affirming their critical contributions to society and the economy. Creative WA aligns with NAVA’s longstanding advocacy for adequate pay, secure working conditions, and career pathways for artists and arts workers. Its focus on sector development, creative learning, and workforce sustainability highlights how governments can nurture the creative sector as an essential industry.
A cornerstone of Creative WA is its respect for First Nations cultures and investment in First Nations-led initiatives. NAVA commends the ongoing development of the Aboriginal Cultural Centre (ACC), first announced in 2021 as part of a tourism and recovery plan. Set to open in 2030 on Whadjuk Noongar land in Boorloo (Perth), the ACC will feature performance, exhibition, education, and community spaces, creating pathways for First Nations practitioners. The project will celebrate the state’s rich First Nations art and culture while supporting truth-telling, reconciliation, and economic empowerment. This initiative will strengthen the role of First Nations artists and cultural leaders in shaping WA’s cultural future, with statewide consultation ensuring it reflects the diverse voices and communities it represents.
NAVA Executive Director Penelope Benton said, "Creative WA is a transformative step forward in recognising the fundamental role of art and creativity in public life. Its focus on the centrality of the artist as worker is critical to a sustainable, equitable, and inclusive arts sector. The prioritisation of First Nations cultures and the empowerment of Aboriginal artists as cultural leaders ensures the stories and practices of the world’s oldest continuous cultures are at the heart of WA’s creative future."
Proposed actions for fostering career pathways for artists and arts workers across WA include growing markets for authentic First Nations art, providing new fellowship opportunities, and expanding creative learning programs. Investments in education and workforce development, particularly for regional and First Nations communities, will help ensure the benefits of the Creative WA vision are far-reaching.
NAVA also highlights the alignment of Creative WA with the Australian Government’s Revive National Cultural Policy, emphasising the importance of cross-sector collaboration to advance the arts as a driver of economic, social, and cultural impact.
Media Enquiries
Leya Reid
media@visualarts.net.au
About NAVA
The National Association for the Visual Arts (NAVA) is a Membership organisation that brings together the many voices of the contemporary arts sector to improve fundamental conditions of work and practice. We do this through advocacy, education and the Code of Practice. For further information on NAVA visit www.visualarts.net.au
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