Simone McGurk, Minister for Creative Industries.
Q: Minister, under the Diversify WA framework, your government has expressed a strong commitment to growing creative jobs and building a sustainable cultural workforce. However, cost-of-living pressures and declining streaming revenues mean local artists are finding it harder than ever to maintain full-time creative careers. Given the success of Ireland’s permanent Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) scheme – which proved that every euro invested returned €1.39 back into the economy – will the Cook Labor Government consider researching or trialling a similar basic wage for artists to safeguard the future of WA’s creative economy?
A: While such arrangements are primarily matters for the Australian Government, I am committed to ensuring that artists are supported through a range of grants and development programs that foster creative practice, professional development and career sustainability.
Early this year, I announced the establishment of a Creative Industries Taskforce, which brings together leading voices from across Western Australia’s creative sectors – including screen, music, design, performance, digital innovation, First Nations arts and creative entrepreneurship – to provide strategic advice and industry insight to the Government.
The Taskforce is working on a Creative Industries Action Plan, which will guide the growth of Western Australia’s creative industries and include considerations of ways to support creative careers.
Q: Could you advise if the current tender for development of Sunset Hospital can include a requirement for an Arts & Culture precinct to support arts in the metro area?
A: The Sunset Heritage Precinct in Dalkeith is one of Perth’s most significant State heritage-listed sites. The State Government is seeking proposals to redevelop the Sunset Heritage Precinct and transform it into a dynamic, creative and cultural destination.
The Expression of Interest has been designed to encourage strong, innovative proposals with respondents being asked to consider the design, development and conservation of the existing heritage buildings. Redevelopment of the Sunset site aligns with the State Government’s priority of fostering a vibrant and creative economy.
Q: What is the ratio of funding of city to regional art projects?
A: Everyone deserves access to quality arts experiences – no matter where they live.
Arts and culture are vital to the health and identity of our communities and that includes those in regional WA. Just this week I announced an additional $381,000 to strengthen the capacity of regional galleries and visual arts organisations across WA and nearly $700,000 to develop the Aboriginal arts and cultural sector in regional WA. The Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport has funding available for projects that support participation in, access to and creation of arts and culture in regional Western Australia.
Q: Could you elaborate on the government’s future planning for the visual arts: when the Creative Industries Action Plan is released (when will this be?), what specific outcomes should artists and arts organisations expect to see? How will its success be measured?
A: In December 2024, Premier Cook announced Creative WA: A 10-year vision to grow and sustain our creative ecosystem. Since Creative WA was released, we have grown investment in artists, cultural workers and creative practitioners and celebrated individual and collective artistic achievement, introducing Creative WA fellowships and internships. Creative WA also has Actions including to deliver an Artform Development Policy, establish across-government partnerships to support and develop WA’s creative workforce and to work with local communities to update cultural facilities via the Lotterywest Arts and Culture Infrastructure Fund.
Q: Does Parliament support local artists by purchasing art for its own collection? How many works are in the collection and is it available to the general public?
A: The Parliamentary Art Collection is owned and managed by the Parliament of Western Australia, and I am lucky to spend so much time in a building that features so much beautiful art. For 10 years now, the Parliament has collaborated with Edith Cowan University (ECU) to run the Artist in Residence program, a collaboration between the WA Parliament that provides local artists with an opportunity to examine Western Australian life, history, culture and politics within the parliamentary context.
It is a three-month residency where artists can access archival and research materials and can observe the parliamentary process.
Tours of Parliament House are available to the public.
Q: Is there a way artists, galleries and artist-run initiatives can have a voice in the future of art in WA?
A: The Department for Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport has recently engaged with local galleries and artist-run initiatives as part of the sector consultation for the development of the Creative Industries Action Plan. This input is critical to ensure policies and programs reflect the needs and opportunities for the visual arts sector.
Q: Can the Government encourage greater private-sector investment and philanthropy in Western Australia’s visual arts sector?
A: It is my view that Government can play an enabling role by creating conditions that encourage greater private-sector investment and philanthropy in the visual arts sector.
This includes working with industry, philanthropic organisations and the Australian Government to identify barriers to investment, improve awareness of giving opportunities and explore mechanisms that incentivise private support for artists, galleries and visual arts organisations.
Q: Will Government support artists to use AI as a creative tool while protecting the value, authorship and intellectual property of human-made art?
A: Creative Australia has developed a set of principles to provide guidance on using generative AI for creative output. I appreciate the importance of copyright protections for our artists and writers. As the Minister for Creative Industries, I am committed to following it closely and to continuing to listen and advocate for creatives.
We will continue to monitor developments in AI and are taking steps toward supporting our creative industries with further guidelines and best practices.