Welcome to Boorloo Contemporary
For 20 years Wesfarmers Arts and Perth Festival have brought the work of leading artists from across Australia and around the world to galleries, studios and artist-run spaces in Perth. In 2025 I invite you to experience this exciting program of special commissions and cultural conversations that celebrate the vision and ambition of Aboriginal and First Nations artists. Art brings people together and connects us in imaginative ways with the world around us. Boorloo Contemporary brings us art at the forefront of innovation, with cutting-edge works that place culture and Country at the heart of Perth Festival.
I hope you'll drop by the iconic East Perth Power Station to see it illuminated by three Noongar artists and visit Fremantle Arts Centre, John Curtin Gallery and The Rechabite for a taste of (in the case of Killa , quite literally) Boorloo Contemporary's transformative and immersive experiences.
Helen Carroll , Wesfarmers Arts Manager
Perth Festival acknowledges the Noongar people who continue to practise values, language, beliefs and knowledge on kwobidak boodjar. Noongar people remain the spiritual and cultural birdiyangara of this place and we honour and respect the caretakers and custodians and the vital role Noongar people play for our community and our Festival to flourish. We also acknowledge all First Nations people, whose contributions make our Festival culturally and artistically richer. Our hearts are happy that you are here, on the traditional lands of Whadjuk, part of the Bibbulmun nation and its people.
Borderless creative thinking
Boorloo Contemporary is an opportunity to commission and present works at scale, predominantly from First Nations artists on this continent, and eventually including other artists in Australia's immediate geographic region – works that speak both from and to our region in their own visual languages and connected narratives. It is important, and timely, that this new commissioning initiative is delivered in Western Australia, which is uniquely positioned in relation to Southeast Asia considering proximity and shared time zones. These diverse geographic regions encompass a vast range of countries and languages from the largest Aboriginal language group in Australia — the Noongar People in the Southwest — to remote communities and beyond to First Nations and other artists across the Indian Ocean Rim. Stemming from ongoing conversations between curators, artists and arts workers, Boorloo Contemporary emerged as a dynamic platform dedicated to amplifying the voices and creative expressions of First Nations artists. Rooted on Whadjuk Boodjar in Boorloo/Perth, the initiative will grow to rekindle connections with peers across the Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific regions, fostering a rich and interconnected cultural dialogue. Boorloo Contemporary champions a wide range of artistic practices, emphasising the work of artists who challenge conventions, transcend boundaries and reimagine possibilities within and without traditional arts institutions. By creating space for innovative and experimental approaches, the platform not only highlights underrepresented perspectives but also contributes to reshaping the global arts landscape through collaboration, inclusivity and bold creativity.
The program will delve deeply into a variety of creative dimensions over the next four years, including the transformative interplay of light and sound, the power and intimacy of ceremony, and the rich tradition of storytelling as a means of cultural connection. These offerings will unfold through a series of exhibitions, performances and events – some hosted in traditional art galleries, others taking place in unexpected locations throughout the city. In 2024, Artistic Director Anna Reece brought together a visionary team to form the Boorloo Contemporary Curatorium – Clotilde Bullen, Chad Creighton, Glenn Iseger-Pilkington, Yabini Kickett and Chloe Ogilvie. This dynamic group of creatives and arts leaders, each with a distinct background and deep expertise in their respective fields, collaborates to shape the direction and vision of Boorloo Contemporary. Meeting several times a year, the Curatorium engages in discussions and idea generation, drawing on their experiences working across Western Australia and beyond. Their collective knowledge, informed by individual artistic and curatorial practices, serves as a foundation for assembling innovative and meaningful programs that reflect the region's diverse cultural landscape. This collaborative approach ensures that Boorloo Contemporary remains both rooted in local identity and connected to broader artistic conversations. In placing First Nations Australian work at its centre, Boorloo Contemporary offers an opportunity to connect with like-minded artists from our regional neighbourhood from a position of mutual understanding – of the innovative ways in which we manifest our pasts and futures, protect our heritage and embrace our hybrid positions though material practice. Anna Reece , Perth Festival Artistic Director Yabini Kickett , Boorloo Contemporary Creative Producer
Perth Festival Noongar Advisory Circle Roma Yibiyung Winmar, Vivienne Binyarn Hansen, Richard Walley, Carol Innes, Barry McGuire & Mitchella Waljin Hutchins
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