Eight regional festivals to bring together communities across the State

The fund forms part of the State Government's $20 million four-year Regional Arts and Cultural Investment Program (RACIP).

Funding for festivals creates regional jobs, contributes to tourism and enables communities to participate in local arts activities. After a period of disconnection due to the COVID-19 pandemic, culture and the arts are vital to creating vibrant, inclusive and connected communities.

The 2021 WA Arts and Culture Monitor Survey found that 87 per cent of people said the arts make them feel good, with a further 77 per cent feeling that the arts are valuable for the community.

Funded projects are listed below:

• Arts Margaret River Inc, Margaret River Readers and Writers Festival (South West) — $50,000
• Bare Naked Events, Busselton Performing Arts Festival (South West) — $48,500
• Big hART Inc, Songs for Peace 2022 (Roebourne) — $50,000
• Bunuba Cultural Conservation Institute, Yajilarra Festival 2022 (Kimberley) — $50,000
• City of Albany, Albany Maritime Festival (Great Southern) — $50,000
• City of Karratha, Red Earth Arts Festival 2022 (Pilbara) — $49,999
• Denmark Arts Council, Denmark Festival of Voice (Great Southern) — $49,795
• West Australian Guitar Festival Inc — Strings Attached: The West Australian Guitar Festival 2022 (South West) — $49,329.

Launched by the State Government in 2019, the RACIP acknowledges the importance of culture and arts programs in regional and remote Western Australia. It continues to focus on delivering social inclusion, accessibility and employment opportunities in regional WA — receiving an additional $5 million in the 2021 State Budget to extend the program.

The RACIP is delivered by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries, with funding from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. Since 2019, the RACIP has injected almost $13 million into arts and culture in regional and remote WA.