Indigenous Initiatives and Partnerships

FEC is proud to have established formal relationships with the local Noongar community, Foundation Housing Ltd and Central TAFE.

The purpose of the partnership is to provide formal Creative Arts training for the local indigenous community with a plan to extend the program with the support of federal government funding to include the establishment of an Art Studio and Gallery. Currently 20 indigenous students are engaged in the Certificate III in Visual Art program.

Summary of the proposed project:

It is intended to develop a working model to transition long term Indigenous Art students towards professional practice via a small Indigenous Art Studio and Gallery in Fremantle WA. The project has been initiated by the local Noongar community and would be a partnership between the local community and Fremantle Education Centre (FEC), with support from Foundation Housing and Central TAFE. It would directly target Indigenous people seeking employment and business opportunities in the Visual Art, Tourism and Retail Industries.

Participants would be engaged in studio practice three days a week, with other times being spent at the Gallery, located in the shopping/tourism precinct of Fremantle. The gallery would serve the dual purpose of exhibiting work and operating as a business incubator. Funding is sought for the establishment of the Gallery and Studio space and for seed funding to develop the business model and employ indigenous mentors, Gallery co-ordinators, studio practitioners and artists until the revenues from the business enterprise sustains the program projected over the life of the funded phase of the project.

There is a small group of Indigenous artists already engaged with FEC and Central TAFE who are ready to consolidate their current skills and move to the level where they can start to exhibit and sell their work. This project will assist in realizing their aspirations by assisting the group to develop a culturally appropriate and sustainable business model which delivers real economic returns for the participants, the local community and local businesses.

While there is enormous interest in Aboriginal Art, much of the focus tends to be upon established and well known artists from regional and remote areas. Galleries in Perth and Fremantle tend to engage with Aboriginal Art Centres from these areas. While that is something to be encouraged, it often leaves little room for the urban Indigenous artists who may inform their cultural knowledge in a more contemporary context.

The project will be located in Fremantle, WA. The current group is already engaged with FEC and Central TAFE in this area. The developing artists have connections with the Fremantle cultural and arts precinct and local tourism operators and have the potential to exhibit their work to visitors to the area. These linkages to the tourism industry are an important factor to this project's success. To this end, FEC has secured the in kind contribution of studio space (workspace) through Foundation Housing, a not for profit charity which provides lodging and shared accommodation to WA residents on low incomes. FEC will be required to meet the fit-out and utilities costs associated with the venue.

It is expected this project will run from September 1, 2009 until August 31, 2011. By then it is anticipated this project be self-sufficient, running on a similar model to successful Aboriginal Art Centres.

The objectives of this project are:

  1. To provide long term Indigenous Art students with transferable skills and vocational outcomes in the WA Visual Arts, Tourism and Retail Industry sectors
  2. To provide a culturally secure environment for students to learn their craft and develop business and commercialization skills, enabling participants to transition from studying to emerging practitioners in terms of skills and experience
  3. To engage Indigenous people in economic development and business opportunities in a meaningful, flexible and culturally appropriate way
  4. To establish an art work-space and gallery for the exhibiting and sale of work by artists who otherwise might not have an opportunity to be engaged
  5. To develop a program which can be tailored to suit other marginalized groups

FEC is also exploring other opportunities to work collaboratively with Central TAFE for the provision of Creative Arts training across other parts of the State.