Highlights of 2025 included our Unity Arts Festival, an incredible concert by West Australian Opera, the launch of the greatly anticipated book by the Scribes of North Midlands, and a multi-venue retrospective exhibition of works by the late John Wilson of Three Springs.
In 2025 we delivered an immersive program of residencies, exhibitions, community and school workshops, performances, and events.
Moving into our new three-year residency and program theme of Threads in Common, we welcomed visual artist Carmen Griffen, interdisciplinary artists Peter Hill, Ron Bradfield Jnr and Stuart McMillan, and photographer Martine Perret.
We mentored these and other artists in The Kids Research Institute Australia's SEW-Arts framework to support the social and emotional wellbeing of young people, which resulted in a range of engaging creative workshops at schools in Carnamah, Coorow, Dandaragan, Mingenew, Morawa, and Perenjori.
Throughout the year we programmed a range of exhibitions across our gallery network of The Bank Gallery in Carnamah, The Exchange+Gallery in Mingenew, and with Gardiner Street Arts Collective in Moora. We were also delighted to tour exhibitions to the Art & Cultural Centre in Morawa and Saint John of God Hospital in Geraldton.
A key exhibition of 2025 was un•dis•covered, the culmination of Naomie Hatherley's Activating Collections residency, which we jointly hosted with the Carnamah Historical Society & Museum. Naomie created multiple works with local indigenous artist Tymia Councillor and a broad range of community members.
The final chapter was added to the expansive exhibition Women of the Hinterlands by Martine Perret, which toured to Mingenew, Geraldton, Morawa, and was projected onto the silos in Three Springs.
We were honoured to host a retrospective exhibition of works by the late John Wilson of Three Springs, which stretched across both The Bank Gallery in Carnamah and The Exchange+Gallery in Mingenew.
Collaborating with Spaced, we welcomed indigenous artists Ilona McGuire and Zali Morgan to the North Midlands as part of the Circular Economies residency program, which continues into 2026.
In Geraldton, we were delighted to deliver a regular program of Sew-Ins, Walk & Talk exhibition tours, creative family studios, and multicultural playgroup activities.
In June we held our second Unity Arts Festival in Carnamah, which included the much-anticipated launch of the book Life & Times in the North Midlands, compiled by local writing group Scribes of North Midlands. The day also featured an exhibition launch; market stalls; artist talks; visual art, textile, and weaving workshops; and the launch of our local identity DNA project.
2025 saw the conclusion of the statewide experiences tour of our Ebb+Flow exhibition, with a range of community and school workshops taking place in Broome.
Towards the end of the year we hosted an incredible concert by West Australian Opera on the stage of The Exchange in Carnamah. Those in attendance were wowed by the five performers and their accompanying pianist, with attendees coming from far and wide.
We've continued partnerships with Spaced, Art on the Move, DADAA and West Australian Opera, partnering with the latter on the statewide LGBTQIA+ YOUnity project, which commenced in 2024, engaging regional youth to explore identity and increase social connection.
In 2025 we were proud to promote creativity through the Act Belong Commit message in partnership with Healthway and to receive support from the Government of Western Australia; National Indigenous Australians Agency; Good Things Foundation; Lotterywest, Mid West Development Commission; and Meerilinga Foundation.
– David Bowman-Bright and Jane King
Beneath Dark Skies by photographer Martine Perret (2025). Taken in the grounds of the historic Macpherson Homestead and featuring community member Shiona Herbert.
In 2025 our Act Belong Commit Creative Community Program delivered 348 activities encouraging creativity, wellbeing and vibrant, liveable towns. 6,638 participants and 42,179 spectators engaged with our activities including workshops, performances, exhibitions, and events held across Amangu, Badymia, Wattandee, Wajarri, Widi, and Yued country in Carnamah, Coorow, Dandaragan, Eneabba, Geraldton, Greenough, Mingenew, Moora, Morawa, Mullewa, Perenjori, and Three Springs.
In 2025 the final components of our Ebb+Flow Regional Experiences Tour and Hinterlands Pilot, in partnership with Regional Arts WA and Healthway promoting Act Belong Commit, delivered 55 activities engaging with 2,167 people in the Mid West, Wheatbelt, and Kimberley regions. The tour began in mid 2023 and mostly occured across 2024.
Thank you to all of the partners and supporters who worked with us during the year.
