The Narrogin Cultural Arts Program aims to enhance and promote the artistic and cultural expression of the Wilman people of Narrogin. The Program does this through delivery of a series of training sessions in various artistic and performance forms as well as through promoting public exposure for artists through exhibitions.

Funded by the Federal Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications and the Arts as part of the Indigenous Language and Arts Program (ILA)

For 4Q22 and 2023 Keedac is putting together a series of arts, crafts, sports and cultural activities funded by ILA to provide access to culturally supportive activities.

The Narrogin Cultural Arts Program will be delivered out of the Keedac Community Centre. The program aims to promote cultural identity through the multi-form artistic expressions of the Wilman people of Narrogin with a focus on training and public exposure. The Program incorporates weekly (four hour) sessions (over twelve weeks, delivered twice over 12 months) in various traditional art forms including painting, sculpting and dance.

Training sessions will be delivered in partnership with key organisations (e.g. Arts Narrogin, Curtin University). The Program focuses on art and performance as mediums of cultural expression and connection, and equally important, for commercial and financial gain.

The program:

  1. Provides a space at the Keedac Community Centre for local Aboriginal artists to practice and develop their art and performance
  2. Provide Aboriginal community members with training in traditional and contemporary art forms
  3. Support local artists in their professional development by assisting them with mentoring and professional funding opportunities
  4. Promote local Indigenous art to the wider region, including developing partnerships with local galleries for exhibitions
  5. Promote sharing of learnings, cross-collaborations for commercialisation and networking with other Aboriginal artists and organisations in the wider region.

The training program will be delivered predominantly by guest lecturers (developed from partnerships with ARts Narrogin, local sculpture groups, other established Aboriginal artists, and Aboriginal organisations in the region etc) and will involve outings (for example to local galleries, to the Dyrandra Woodlands to paint sacred sites (managed by Curtin University) with Aboriginal academic guest lecturers).

At program completion, Keedac will host a celebration showcasing works produced by artists and performers. Each twelve week training program will have capacity for 20 participants, with a total of 40 participants. Each twelve week program will dedicate four weeks training each to painting, dance and sculpturing activities.