Our Business

Aboriginal Art Centres Forum

28 October – 1 November 2024

Goomburrup (Bunbury) WA

AACHWA’s 2024 Our Business forum, took place on Wardandi Country, Bunbury across multiple venues including the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery and Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, from 29 October to 1 November. The event attracted a robust turnout, with over 130 registrations for a week of rich professional development opportunities.

PRE-FORUM EVENT (28 OCTOBER)

Aboriginal Visual Arts Investment Initiative Information Session

AACHWA hosted a key engagement session at Stirling Street Arts Centre for representatives from WA Aboriginal Art Centres affiliated with AACHWA. The session provided an overview, updates, and discussions on the Aboriginal Visual Arts Investment Package submitted to WA Treasury in September 2024. Presenters included Hayley Birchley, Principal Regional Development Officer at Pilbara Development Commission, and Tracker Development consultant Tim Acker, who shared insights from the business case and policy review.

DAY ONE (29 OCTOBER)

The Forum began with a Welcome to Country led by Noongar Elder Gloria Dann, alongside singing by Charmaine Councillor and Aunty Phyllis Wallam from the Wardandi Miya-k Kaadadjiny Language Centre. Following welcomes from AACHWA CEO Chad Creighton and Chairperson Lyn Yu-Mackay, the Hon. David Templeman MLA, Minister for Culture and the Arts, Sport and Recreation, International Education and Heritage, officially opened the event.

Morning tea followed, along with a viewing of the Noongar Country Exhibition: Our Elders, Our Pathfinders at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery. Attendees then immersed themselves in cultural and creative activities, including:

• A tour of Roelands Village and painting workshop with Les and Rhona Wallam
• Silk painting workshops with Bev Thomson of the Noongar Art Program
• Cultural tours led by Troy Bennell of Ngalang Wongi Aboriginal Cultural Tours

The day concluded with a Welcome Barbeque at Mangrove Cove by Koombana Bay Foreshore.

DAYS TWO & THREE (30 & 31 OCTOBER)

Both days featured professional development sessions by industry specialists, covering topics including:

• Indigenous Art Code Review (Tiernan Campbell-O’Brien, Cox Inall Ridgeway)
• Misappropriation & Artist Membership (Savannah Travia-Dann & Amy Mukherjee, Indigenous Art Code)
• Copyright law (Arlette Martin, Copyright Agency)
• Stories Art Money digital platform updates (Bronwyn Taylor, Desart)
• Regional arts funding (Melissa McGrath & Paul Caulfield, DLGSC)
• Funding Opportunties and Strategic First Nations projects (Carla Steele & Janine Oxenham, Regional Arts WA)

Workshops included:

• How to start an art centre (Representatives from Tjarlirli & Kaltukatjara Art, Ingarlgalandij Arts, and Walk Through Walls)
• Creative Entrepreneurship (Emilia Galatis)
• Governance awareness and artists’ rights (Arts Law Centre of Australia)
• Storytelling (Centre for Stories)
• Practical studio skills facilitated by Jacky Cheng and Kate Leslie

Day 3 ended with the Noongar Country 2024 exhibition closing ceremony at the Bunbury Regional Art Gallery.

DAY FOUR (1 NOVEMBER)

Symposium

Hosted by Jacky Cheng, the Symposium opened with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Phyllis Wallam and Charmaine Councillor, followed by a special performance by Wardandi Miya-k Kaadadjiny Language Centre members. AACHWA CEO Chad Creighton and Chair Lyn Yu-Mackay extended welcomes before the day’s panels began.

Key highlights included:

• Artist Talk: Noongar Arts Program members Dellas and Korrinne Bennell (Karrak Designs); Amanda Bell; Beverly Thomson and Candice Nannup discussed their artistic journeys, facilitated by Dellas Bennell
• Cultural Experiences Panel: Colleen Drage (Ku’Arlu Mangga), Jennell Reynolds (Esperance Tjaltjraak Native Title Aboriginal Corporation) and Brett Jennings and Silvano Giordano (Wilurarra Creative) shared innovative approaches to engaging youth and communities, facilitated by Timmah Ball
• Artists in Focus Panel: Featuring Sandra Hill, Eunice Yu (Nagula Jarndu Designs), Tyrown Waigana, and Shannon Clohessy, facilitated by Lee Kinsella
• Dance performance by Keniny Dance Academy
• Making Art Together Panel: Artists Glenda Jackamarra (Yamaji Art); Sharon Warrie (Cheeditha Art Group); Sally Butler, Nerida Martin and Riley McPherson (Tjarlirli & Kaltukatjara Art); and Sarah Bin-Hitam (Mowanjum Art & Culture Centre) showcased collaborations among art centres and communities, facilitated by Minaxi May

The Symposium concluded with the premiere of a Noongar Art Program fashion showcase video, capturing the journey from concept to textile design.

OVERVIEW

• Attended by more than 130 artists, arts workers, art centre staff, independent artists and industry professionals
  • 16 Aboriginal art centres
  • 10 aspiring Aboriginal art centres
  • 30 independent artists, and
  • more than 50 speakers/presenters 
• 60 presentations and workshops 
• 1 direct (return) flight from Warakurna to Bunbury 
• Over 1000 catered meals provided  
• More than 200 nights of booked accommodation 

AACHWA acknowledges the Wardandi Noongar people as the traditional owners of the lands and waters in and around Bunbury. We pay respect to the Noongar Elders, past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal people living on Noongar Country.