Our Business

Aboriginal Art Centres Forum

24-27 October 2023

Rubibi (Broome) WA

AACHWA’s annual Our Business Forum was held at the University of Notre Dame, in Rubibi (Broome), 24 – 27 October 2023. Attendance was strong with just over 150 people registering to attend the event and engaging in the wide variety of professional development opportunities on offer across the week.

PRE-FORUM EVENT (23 OCTOBER)

Community Engagement Session for Aboriginal Cultural Centre Western Australia

Co-hosted by AACHWA and Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries (DLCSC), an engagement session was held with Aboriginal Art Centre representatives providing them with the opportunity to receive important updates regarding the WA Aboriginal Cultural Centre (ACC) project as well as the opportunity to discuss key information.

Attendees shared their thoughts about how they see the ACC recognising and celebrating their region’s culture, whether that is through art, music, dance, language, community, or commercial activities. Discussions also explored the building design and facilities Art Centres feel the centre should have in preparation for an architectural design brief to be developed prior to the building go to tender.

DAY ONE (24 OCTOBER)

Attendees were welcomed to Broome with a Welcome to Country & Smoking Ceremony from Yawuru Elder Aunty Dianne Appleby, a welcome from AACHWA CEO Chad Creighton and AACHWA Chair Lyn Yu-Mackay. The forum was officially opened by the Hon, David Templeman MLA, Minister for Culture and the Arts, Sport and Recreation; International Education; Heritage. The morning also included Our Future certificate presentation. The morning events were held at the University of Notre Dame Hall, where everyone enjoyed morning tea following the mornings formalities. Following our lovely morning together, the welcome to Broome continued with attendees participating in a variety of three cultural and/or creative activities; cultural tour of Yawuru Country with Bart Pigram or Di Appleby, textile print making workshop at Nagula Jarndu Designs and an illustration workshop with published Broome-based Aboriginal artist Brenton McKenna.

DAYS TWO & THREE (25 & 26 OCTOBER)

Attendees participated in information sessions and workshops from Copyright Agency (Arlette Martin), Indigenous Art Code (Gabrielle Sullivan & Savannah Travia-Dann), ArtsLaw (Suzanne Derry & Jo-Anne Driessens), Stories Art Money (SAM, Desart, Bronwyn Taylor & Jane Chambers) and on topics including arts funding; IVAIS (Jacqui Gropp), Creative Australia (Franchesca Cubillo), DLGSC (Jessica Anderson). The learnings continued with workshops on Health and Safety (North Regional TAFE – Matt Anstey and Tanya Lee), Governance (ORIC – Jill Rudeforth), One-on-One Grant Writing sessions with Mollie Hewitt and Rania Ghandour from Walk Through Walls and an Emerging Art Centre session (Chad Creighton, Amy Mukherjee and Suzanne Derry).

DAY FOUR (27 OCTOBER)

Symposium

Hosted by MC Bart Pigram the morning began with a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony with Aunty Dianne Appleby, opening address from Divina D’Anna (MLA), and a dance performance Burrb Wanggarraju Nurlu Dancers.

Following morning tea, peer to peer learning took shape with presentations and panel discussions including Nagula Jarndu Designs, Nyamba Buru Yawuru Aboriginal Corporation presentation, a panel discussion featuring 3 Broome-based artists – Michael Torres (fine art photographer), Dalisa Pigram (creative director and dancer, Marrugeku) and Rowena Morgan (textile artist, Nagula Jarndu Design) the session was facilitated by Jacky Cheng. Leading us into lunch was a musical performance by David Pigram.

The afternoon sessions included a presentation by Tracey Mulardy and Carly Day sharing information about the Artists Away from Home program and an Art Centre Showcase featuring Bunbury Regional Art Gallery, Juluwarlu Art Group, Nagula Jarndu Designs and Ardi’ol Art & Culture.   

OVERVIEW

• Attended by more than 130 artists, arts workers, art centre staff and industry professionals, with 21 Aboriginal Art Centres represented and more than 30 speakers/presenters
• 35 Presentations and workshops
• 1 direct (return) flight from Warakurna to Broome
• Over 1000 catered meals provided
• More than 200 nights of booked accommodation

>> View the 2023 Program

>> View the 2023 Event Guide

AACHWA acknowledges the Yawuru people as the traditional owners of the lands and waters in and around Rubibi (the town of Broome). We pay respect to the Yawuru Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal people living on Yawuru Country.