Season's Greetings!  



The Year in Review

In 2016 AACHWA qualified for Deductible Gift Recipient tax status and as such is now an organisation that is entitled to receive income tax deductible gifts and deductible contributions, including most philanthropic support

AACHWA partnered with Desart to deliver a two-day Stories Art Money (SAM) Database training session in Perth at the start of March and given the popularity this is likely to be repeated on an annual basis.

On Friday 08 April AACHWA held its first Annual General Meeting, and Mr Clarrie Cameron and Mr Kado Muir stepped down as Directors. New Directors Mr Frank Walsh Jnr (representing Wirnda Barna Artists) and Mr Karthi Muir (the new Deputy Chair and representative of Walkatjurra Cultural Centre) were welcomed onto the Board. Former Deputy Chair Charmaine Green also stepped up as the new Chairperson.

A new service charter was approved outlining AACHWA's expanded focus to provide in-house support, training, induction and capacity building to art centres across WA.  In support of this renewed commitment Operations Officer Laura Taylor travelled to Warlayirti Artists in Balgo to provide hands-on support over a three-week period in May, and in June CEO Chris Scoggin delivered to Yamaji Art a targeted four-day arts worker training program and induction for Yamaji Art's new Manager.

For the first time AACHWA participated as a stallholder at the 10th Darwin Aboriginal Art Fair  (05-07 August). With the generous assistance from the Western Australian Government’s Department of Culture and the Arts Aboriginal Art Program, Chris and Laura together with Charmaine Green (AACHWA Chairperson and Director of Yamaji Art), Loreen Samson (AACHWA Director and Manager of Roebourne Art Group), and Tracey Luke (Manager of Tjukurba Gallery–Birriliburu Artists) attended with the aim of highlighting the breadth and diversity of Aboriginal art in WA. Overall the experience proved very successful in terms of sales for each art centre and positive feedback received from visitors.

In September Chris and Director Ezzard Flowers attended Desert  Mob 2016 in Alice Springs  to network with other industry representatives, and in October Charmaine Green and Chris travelled to Bloemfontein in South Africa to participate in the Program for Innovation in Artform Development First Nations Colloquium and Creative Arts Lab.

Jenni Collard did not seek re-appointment to the Board following the end of her one-year term in September.  However, Jenni continues to lend her invaluable support to AACHWA as and when she can.

AACHWA's Art Centre Managers' Conference held 18-19 October was the biggest yet with 17 representatives from 11 art centres represented. Guest speakers Jenni Collard, Anne-Marie Lynch, Charles Street, Marlene Chisholm, Paul Parin, Brian Tucker, Delwyn Everard, and Ricky Arnold provided key industry information for discussion.

Chris and Laura attended the first Regional Galleries’ Forum hosted by ART ON THE MOVE in November. The forum was organised to gauge the sector’s current position and development needs for the future. A working party has been formed, consisting of 14 individuals/organisations, and Laura will participate on behalf of AACHWA to advocate the presence of Aboriginal art centres in WA's regional gallery sector.

As the end of the year nears AACHWA is meeting with representatives from State Government and the opposition to highlight key opportunities for the delivery of outcomes driven through arts and culture and by Aboriginal people.

Thank you for supporting us in 2016 and we wish you a joyous festive season. Our office will be closed from Monday 19 December 2016 and will re-open on Tuesday 03 January 2017.