Western Australian animals have been targeted as pests by locals and farmers. Some have been exploited for profit and hunted to near extinction. Native fauna have been celebrated as emblems and studied by scientists. They have been captured in photographs and in cages. The stories in this exhibition are found in records created by government departments, including the CSIRO, Department of Defence and ABC. They show how Western Australians have interacted with the state’s unique wildlife and highlight changing attitudes towards animals and the environment. Which animal was the target of a military campaign? What now beloved animal was dismissed as an annoying rodent? Why is there a whale tooth in the national archival collection? Grab your binoculars, get out your field guide and spot your favourite animals in this expedition to the wild west.

Are you ready to flirt with botanicals? You've come to the right place! This inspiring workshop will suit all levels from beginners to creatives who are enthusiastic about exploring this intriguing knowledge of printing with plants in an environmentally friendly way. Contact printing with plants on fabrics combines art and science to pose a mystery of creativity. This fun workshop in Subiaco enables you to explore eco-printing with Tatiana to achieve beautiful outcomes. You will get to enjoy a full day of diving into the printing process, with breaks sprinkled in, as we wait for your masterpiece to steam. By the end of the workshop, your bundle will be ready to unwrap, a little gift from nature, waiting to show you its mysteries, like a present under the tree. Celebrate your results with a glass of bubbles and leave Tatiana's studio with a special scarf made from natural silk and printed with botanicals by YOU! Grab your friends, partner, or family member, and have a fun day creating your very own unique art!

Love in Bright Landscapes takes its title from the name of a 1986 album by former, now cult, Perth band The Triffids – a group that has contributed much to the city’s narrative of wide open roads, treeless plains and the relentless heat of a long, dry Perth summer. But this evocation of love – and with it the possibilities and pitfalls of infatuation and romanticisation – in a landscape stretched out beneath an expansive bright sky, might equally apply to an understanding of Los Angeles: a city that itself has long been steeped in lore and myth. As such, this exhibition considers Perth and Los Angeles as comparative case studies, bringing together a selection of artworks made in reference to the characters, qualities and topographies of the two west coast cities. Despite their inherent differences – in industry, scale, population, politics, public perception and self-image – and the distinct independent cultures of each city, Perth and Los Angeles share several commonalties: from indigenous and colonial histories to natural resource booms, sprawling suburbia, car culture, blazing sunsets and seamy underbellies.

One of WA’s most popular arts events, Margaret River Region Open Studios, returns in September following the popularity of a Springtime event in 2020.

Open Studios promises to be more vibrant than ever, capturing the colours of spring and wildflower season and providing an opportunity for you to enjoy the Margaret River region in all its glory.

More than 100 artists from Busselton to Augusta will be opening their studio doors to welcome in art lovers and share their passion.

The event, marking its eighth year, features painters, sculptors, illustrators, jewellers, printmakers, glassblowers, ceramicists, potters, photographers, furniture makers, woodworkers, textile artists, metalworkers, mixed media artists and upcyclers who share a love of this beautiful part of the world.

Roadtrip to the region and make a holiday of it, going off the beaten path to visit studios of artists you know and love, and some new talent who might just be the next big thing! Renown artists who regularly participate include Leon Pericles, Rachel Coad, Lauren Wilhelm, Ian Mutch, Rebecca Cool, Mary-Lynne Stratton and Christian Fletcher.

A true Broome intuition comes in the form of the Shinju Matsuri that will tempt your senses with an exciting whirlwind of colour, sound, taste and smell as the community shares this beautiful locale with the world and the people who call it home. Every year, to mark the opening of the Shinju Matsuri Festival, the Broome community pays homage to their cultural backgrounds in this colourful Float Parade (free entry) through the town centre. A vibrant evening of performances and entertainment by dance schools, schools, scouts and other community groups in the live lighter Mardi Gras! (free entry). Send your message out to the universe in one of the most symbolic ways possible at The Floating Lantern Matsuri (general $15, VIP $120.) The Chinatown Feast ($75) is a Hawkers Market with a Broome-style twist. Dine out on Masterchef favourites Shinju Matsuri’s Sunset Long Table Dinner ($295). Don’t forget to come and enjoy a sunset drink at the festival bar (free entry.)

Celebrating great films, the festival incorporates some of Australia's most beautiful locations, world-class Margaret River wines and gourmet fresh foods.

Visitors, filmmakers and film-lovers converge to enjoy premiere events, in conversation lunches, general screenings, family activities and free community events over six days in August.

Live events are to be held from August 25-30. This makes CinefestOZ the first Australian film festival to host screenings for live cinema audiences in Western Australia’s South West since the easing of restrictions.

Special guests who have enjoyed the film festival dubbed "Australia's friendliest" include David Wenham (Patron), Sigrid Thornton, Ben Elton, Jack Thompson and Hugo Weaving.
 

Performed in-the-round, by the incredible Luke Hewitt, Every Brilliant Thing is an hour of life affirming humour. This multiple award-winning international sensation throws audience members into the story as fathers, lovers, friends and allies following one person's life in the shadow of mental illness. From the broad #4 'The Colour Yellow' to the detailed #9998 'Watching someone watch your favourite film', this joyous and intimate work shows us the miracles in life's minutiae. "One of the funniest plays you'll ever see about depression - and possibly one of the funniest plays you'll ever see, full stop" - The Guardian

This exhibition attempts to showcase works of art that reflect the depth of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and culture, with other aspects of the Aboriginal condition. As a result, radical observations about the ups and downs of life will, at times, weave in and out of stories about Country. Equally, across the show, visitors will encounter passages of serenity, corridors of tradition, and trails that speak to the upheavals experienced by generations of Indigenous people. Balancing Act features the work of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists living and working across the State and Australia. Works of art by local Noongar artists such as Revel Cooper (dec.), Sandra Hill, Dianne Jones and Shane Pickett (dec.) sit loud-and-proud among those by Richard Bell, Karla Dickens, Julie Dowling and Brian Robinson to name a few of the many stellar artists in the show. Image - Richard Bell One more hour of daylight 2017-2019. Synthetic polymer paint on linen, three parts: 240 x 540 cm (overall). State Art Collection, Art Gallery of Western Australia. Purchased through the Art Gallery of Western Australia Foundation: TomorrowFund, 2019. © Richard Bell, courtesy Milani Gallery, Brisbane.

$20 entry fee includes all art materials (paper, drawing board, charcoals) and a complimentary wine, beer or soft drink. Plus, they offer theatre-style buttered popcorn, straight from the machine. 

Doors open at 6.30pm for a 7pm sharp start. Get in early to find a comfy spot or grab yourself a beverage at the bar. 

Every week we'll show three short films from a given category and have speakers from related charities, NGOs, community groups, or sometimes government departments speak about their work within that category. Our current categories: Art, Education, Entrepreneurship, Equality, Girls To The Front, Human Rights, Indigenous, Innovation, Leadership, Mental health, Personal Growth, Physical Health, Sport, Travel, Youth