September 2025: This November, Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre will honour the life and
legacy of celebrated local artist, Theo Koning, with the first retrospective of his work to date,
Objet d’Art – Theo Koning and his Creative Self. The exhibition will offer an expansive look at
one of Western Australia’s most instinctive and inventive makers.
Drawing on a career that spanned five decades and traversed sculpture, painting, poetry,
performance and gardening, the exhibition will feature Koning’s entire oeuvre, capturing the
breadth and brilliance of an artist who found creative potential in the things people
discarded and overlooked.
In the wake of his passing in 2022, there was a groundswell of support for a review of his
life’s work. What followed was extensive research and development to bring together over
200 works of Koning’s prolific and genre-defying practice from across his entire career.
The works displayed are borrowed from the artist’s estate and family and 65 institutional,
corporate and private art collections from as far as Sydney, as well as from across the state;
Bunbury, New Norcia Museum Collection, Janet Holmes a Court Collection, Bankwest and
Royal Perth Hospital Collection and privately from local collectors in Perth and Fremantle.
Produced by André Lipscombe, Curator of the City of Fremantle Art Collection, the
exhibition traces Koning’s local and interstate projects, collaborations, art activism, poetry,
Instagram and association with contemporary art groups like Praxis and notably, his
residency at the Basel Atelier Mondial Studio in 2015.
Lipscombe believes Koning should be a household name in Western Australia. Explaining,
“he was widely known in art circles and greatly appreciated as an instinctive and natural
maker.”
“He was a wry narrator of the human condition, and he undertook an artistic life not as a
journey but a playground, in which he found new ways to explore life experiences through
the joy of creative experimentation.”
Koning was known to have a creative eye for uncovering meaning and beauty in what others
cast aside, with his materials often coming from street junk, skip bins, op shops, school
fetes and tips. He also had a natural and incorrigible sense of humour and ability to express
himself without pretention.
Such artworks include his series of dress ups posted through dozens of hilarious Instagram
posts (2018-2020), using homemade masks and one a prosthetic ear he found at a local
beach. He also produced a homemade horror film, Amputation (1980), that tells a story of a
man who after a car crash, gains a prosthetic wheel in place a leg.
The exhibition includes Koning’s large-scale assemblage and installation, sculpture, series
of paintings, drawings and print editions; as well as artist books, narrated poetry, collage
and examples of his mail art.
The exhibition will include historical video interviews with Koning produced by Fremantle
creative Colin Story in 2015 and 2018 and an oral history with Koning produced by
Lipscombe in 2007.
The exhibition reveals a deeply playful and philosophical artist who navigated the material
and metaphysical worlds with equal curiosity and sensitivity.
Not only the first major retrospective of his work, but the first posthumous retrospective to
be presented at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre, a fitting home given the strong
relationship Koning shared with the WFAC over nearly five decades.
Abigail MoncrieB, Curator and Collections Lead at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre is
excited to welcome Koning’s work back to the galleries.
“We have exhibited Koning’s work 14 times in the Centre’s 52-year history, so it was fitting
that we hold this major retrospective to look back on his life’s work,” reflects Moncrieff.
“Koning’s creative legacy is deeply rooted in Fremantle, not only through his artworks but
also his private and laneway garden projects behind his home. His influence, however,
extends beyond WA, having taught for many years, he’s shaped the practices of a younger
cohort of artists locally.”
Objet d’Art – Theo Koning and his Creative Self will be open at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts
Centre from Saturday 15 November – Sunday 8 February, open daily from 10AM until 5PM.
Coinciding with the exhibition will be the launch of a limited-edition illustrated monograph
about the artist and his work.
The exhibition is presented as part of the City of Fremantle’s Art Collection program, which
for over 50 years has celebrated Walyalup / Fremantle’s vibrant artistic community through
a growing collection of more than 1,600 artworks.
For more information visit https://wfac.org.au/whats-on/post/objet-dart-theo-koning-and-his-creative-self/
ENDS
For information, interviews & images:
Alice Hamilton
Detail Marketing Communications
alice@detail.com.au
0415 576 57
September 2025
Under Fire: Clay from the western edge is a dynamic and expansive new exhibition presenting the works of 18 Western Australian artists who embrace ceramics and the transformative nature of clay. Guest curated by Emma Buswell, the exhibition is a satellite event of the 17th Australian Ceramics Triennale and is presented by the Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia (CAAWA.)
Opening Friday 3rd October at 6pm, the exhibition will display over 200 works throughout the galleries of Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre (WFAC), highlighting the nature of ceramics as both a scientific process and a symbolic language.
Alongside the main exhibition CAAWA will present Clay Connections, a showcase uniting community ceramic studios, teachers, and students in a celebration of the medium.
Additionally on Sunday 5th October, Mud Market ceramics fair will coincide with the launch of the WFAC Sunday Music season, rounding out a vibrant series of ceramics events at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre as part of the 17th Australian Ceramics Triennale.
Under Fire: Clay from the western edge is structured around four thematic pillars: Sustainability and Wellbeing, History and Change, Metaphor and Symbol, and Chemistry and Alchemy.
Curator Emma Buswell added, “Over the past year I have been delving deep into the history of ceramics within Western Australia, how it has manifested and evolved into the thriving and diverse community it is today. From kiln communities to glazers and artists working with mineral ores, from senior potters to artists making their first foray into clay, what has been most remarkable is the human element inherent in this medium. It is primal and vital and urgent. Clay is the way we have come to understand previous civilisations, and it will become part of the way future ones judge us in our current moment.”
Spanning the diverse regions of Western Australia—from the Kimberley to the South West— the exhibition highlights the balance between control and unpredictability in ceramic art. Sculptural forms draw inspiration from natural geological forces, while glazes infused with rare earth oxides create luminous surfaces that recall salt lakes or transform traditional vessels with a contemporary, digitally inspired twist.
Under Fire: Clay from the western edge is open at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre daily from 10:00am until 5:00pm, between Sat October 4th – Sun 2nd November 2025.
The exhibition features the work of Ian Dowling, Valerie Schönjahn, Jess Tan, Emma Vinkovic, Kathy Allam, Andrea Vinkovic, Lorraine Hunter, Jessica Jadai, Nic Kotsoglo, Jackie Masters, Beste Ogan, Cat A. Conner, Graham Hay, Fig.2 (Annie Huang and Reegan Jackson), Bernard Kerr, Holly O’Meehan and Fleur Schell.
ENDS
Media contact:
Ella Boekeman | Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre | ellabo@fremantle.wa.gov.au
About Australian Ceramics Triennale
Australian Ceramics Triennale is a flagship event that brings together a nation of makers over five days through keynote speakers, workshops, masterclasses and exhibitions, where the breadth of the community is shared. The Australian Ceramics Association supports the Australian Ceramics Triennale, a national conference held every three years in different locations around Australia. The 2025 Triennale, Wedge, is hosted by Ceramic Arts of Western Australia CAAWA to bring together organisations, groups and individuals from around the world to celebrate, promote and expand a diverse and vibrant ceramic community.
About CAAWA
The Ceramic Arts Association of Western Australia (CAAWA) was established in 1993. It is a not-for-profit organisation run by members to raise the profile of clay within the community – culturally, educationally, politically and socially. With over 120 members based across Western Australia the aim is to stimulate and expand the production and appreciation of ceramics by delivering workshops, publications, events and exhibitions. CAAWA hosted the Australian Ceramics Triennale in 1999.
Sunday Music at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre has been a live-music-scene staple since 1981, with this year’s curated lineup promising a mix of genres by both local and international artists.
The 25/26 season opens on Sunday October 5 with Kankawa Nagarra, also known as Olive Knight, an 82-year-old powerhouse of Australian blues, country and gospel and elder from the Wangkatjungka community in the Kimberley. Alongside Nagarra is ICONYX, whose connection to the late Archie Roach and Gurrumul grants her rare permission to perform and reimagine their music; the two Blak female musicians present an array of moving and powerful music.
Complementing the season opening will be a ceramics market on the top lawn, with over 45 artists taking part as part of Wedge: The Australian Ceramics Triennale. WFAC’s new garden café, Plated will also be open and operational for opening weekend.
“We are thrilled to announce the lineup for Sunday Music (part 1)” says City of Fremantle’s Director of Creative Arts Pete Stone, “Sunday Music is everything that’s great about Freo – Sunny arvos under the trees at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre, with a diverse range of the best new and established acts you’ll find anywhere in the country. And this year the café will be open again, hooray! Jump on your bike and head down, its free, it’s just for you and it’s the perfect end to a Freo weekend.
Debra Rule, Chair of Fremantle Community Bank, added “Sunday Music heralds the start of summer in Fremantle. It’s a wonderful family friendly event, supporting local artists, and the perfect place to be on a Sunday afternoon. We at the Fremantle Community Bank (part of the Bendigo Bank) are delighted to support this iconic program.”
Performing in Australia for the first time this October is Los Angeles six-piece Swimming Bell bringing their signature lush Californian alt-folk. Compared to a folk-era Sharon Van Etten, Meg Baird and Rosali, Swimming Bell is the musical project of Katie Schottland, a Philadelphia-born singer-songwriter whose ethereal melodies and intricate harmonies create a dreamlike sonic landscape.
Little Guilt arrive as a cocktail of honeyed vocals later in the month, hypnotic synths and wistful lyricism brought forth with driving guitars. Since their formation in early 2021, the indie outfit (comprised of Ella Melton, Lachlan Thomson, Joe Knowles, Brady Kiernan and Bevyn Tarboton) have unwittingly captured the hearts of music lovers in both the digital realm and on stage through sold-out venues around the country.
Mahamudo Selimane is a renowned singer/guitarist from Mozambique who has toured around the world with his band Eyuphuro (one of Peter Gabriel’s ‘Real World’ label’s first releases) ‘Zukhuta’ includes Mahamudo’s long-time collaborator John Wilson, drummer Hardy Perrine, saxophonist Marc Osborne and Grammy-winning Lucky Oceans who pioneers the use of pedal steel guitar in African music. For this show, the band expands to include vibrant front man Quentin (Queency) Thony.
In November, the month kicks off with acclaimed first nations artist Bumpy, a magnetic force in Australian music having wowed audiences at the London Jazz Festival and played festivals around the country. Her sound is a shimmering mosaic of contemporary soul laced with folk, funk, and jazz. She performs alongside firm Sunday Music favourite Boox Kid with his signature dreamy electropop.
A special show on 30 November has been programmed in response to the upcoming Theo Koning retrospective hosted at WFAC. Echo – Motion – Memory features artists Jamie Oehlers
Jess Carlton, Ben Vanderwal, Karl Florisson and Harry Mitchell celebrating Theo’s love of jazz, particularly Keith Jarrett’s music. They will perform performing Jarret’s music as well as new compositions created for the day.
16 November presents Nicholas Allbrook, also known as the frontman of Pond, who has created his own programming in response to Theo Koning’s exhibition at WFAC. Allbrook will be performing and inviting his friends who share the instinctive spirit of the Fremantle based artist for this super special Sunday Music session.
December sees the remarkable Stella Cain joined on stage by members of the Watkins Street Choir and two additional local choirs run by her Aunty, Anna Wallwork. The collaboration is a powerful extension of the choral elements in RODDY, her debut EP, evoking the communal warmth and connection that defines her work.
Fremantle Arts Centre’s Sunday Music summer concert series is on every Sunday from 2-4pm until March 29th 2026.
December 7th, 21st and 28th will not feature programming.
More acts to be announced soon, please visit fac.org.au for more info.
ENDS
Media contact:
Ella Boekeman | Fremantle Arts Centre | ellabo@fremantle.wa.gov.au
Sunday Music Summer Series Lineup
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5 Oct 2025 – Kankawa Nagarra & Iconyx
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12 Oct 2025 – Little Guilt & Brodie Loves
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19 Oct 2025 – Swimming Bell & Clove
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26 Oct 2025 – Zukhuta & Howie Smallman and David Milroy
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2 Nov 2025 – Bumpy & Boox Kid
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9 Nov 2025 – Cassis & Phantom Island
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16 Nov 2025 – Nicholas Allbrook with friends
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23 Nov 2025 – Kombi a Train & Twang!
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30 Nov 2025 – Echo – Motion – Memory featuring Jamie Oehlers, Jess Carlton, Ben Vanderwal, Karl Florisson and Harry Mitchell
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14 Dec 2025 – Stella Cain (joined by Watkins Street Choir and more) & Have a Good Day
New records for Australia’s most prestigious print award
• Highest number of entries ever received from all corners of Australia
• Biggest prize pool on offer
• Huge diversity of printmaking mediums to line the gallery, from cassette tape to canvas
AUGUST 2025: The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award, Australia’s longest-running and most prestigious printmaking prize, returns this August with a record-breaking year of entries and a diverse exhibition of contemporary print pieces from across the country.
A total of 333 entries were received — the highest number on record for the Print Award, which has been running since 1976. 68 finalists were selected for the biennial acquisitive prize, including 18 First Nations finalists (another record in 2025) and 5 finalists in the Emerging Artist category.
Audiences can expect to see a diverse range of works, from small to large-scale, across a variety of printmaking methods. These include time-honoured traditions such as intaglio, lithography and linocut, as well as experimental and interdisciplinary approaches such as using sound on cassette tape, installation, and found woven books — all of which underscore the adaptability and vitality of printmaking.
Of the 333 entries, Western Australian artists made up half the cohort, alongside submissions from nearly every state and territory, highlighting the Award’s strong national footprint.
Curator & Collections Lead, Abigail Moncrieff, said this year’s response from artists across the country had been extraordinary, drawing one of the most diverse and ambitious collections of work in recent years.
“The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award continues to hold a very special place in the Australian arts landscape. To receive a record number of entries, and see the diversity of printmaking techniques in this year’s submissions, is a reflection of the depth and breadth of printmaking across the country right now. Mitch Cairns, Jon Campbell, Jacky Cheng, Ella Sutherland and Rebecca Beardmore are just a few of the national artists we are delighted to present.
One of my favourite things about the Print Award this year is our renewed commitment to cultivating entries from First Nations and emerging artists. Jonathon World Peace, Robert Fielding and Mervyn Street complement many other outstanding artists to form an exceptional exhibition in 2025 that we are excited to share with our audiences.”
Winners will be selected by a national judging panel, including Hannah Matthews, Director/CEO of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts; art historian, curator and writer Dr Jessyca Hutchens, lecturer at the School of Indigenous Studies and Co-Director at the Berndt Museum at UWA; and Trent Walter, a Sri Lankan–Australian exhibiting artist, printer and publisher based in Naarm/Melbourne.
Following an increase to the prize pool this year, finalists will vie for the First Prize worth $20,000, as well as the First Nations Award and the Young and Emerging Award, each worth $5,000. The winning work will be acquired into the City of Fremantle Art Collection – the largest municipal art collection in Western Australia.
Winners will be announced at the Opening Night on Friday 15 August, presented by Dr Jessyca Hutchens.
The 2025 winners will join a high-calibre alumni of artists including NSW performer and artist Mike Parr; Fremantle-based artist Sam Bloor; Sally Morgan, one of Australia’s best-known Indigenous authors and artists; and, most recently, Jacky Cheng, Stephen Brameld, Jay Staples and Kieren Karritpul.
The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award will be open daily from 10:00am – 5:00pm, from 16 August to 21 September. All exhibited artworks are for sale, excluding the winning piece.
Find out more: https://wfac.org.au/whats-on/post/2025-fremantle-arts-centre-print-award/
ENDS
For information, interviews & images:
Alice Hamilton
Detail Marketing Communications
alice@detail.com.au
0415 576 577
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
• The First Nations Print Prize is supported by Wesfarmers Arts
• The Young Emerging Print Prize is supported by Fremantle Community Bank
ABOUT THE PRINT AWARD
The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award was founded in 1976, just a few years after the establishment of the Fremantle Arts Centre. Initiated by Ian Templeman, the prize was designed to attract interstate artists and audiences to the young gallery.
Now in its 47th year, the Print Award is the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre’s longest-running exhibition series and Australia’s premier print award. The prize attracts entries from a huge range of established and emerging artists from across the nation.
Game, Set, Match: David Shrigley’s Tennis Ball Exchange Arrives in Fremantle
June 2025: 10,000 fluorescent yellow tennis balls will line the gallery walls of the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre this August as part of The Walyalup Fremantle Tennis Ball Exchange, an interactive exhibition by internationally acclaimed British artist David Shrigley.
Audiences are invited to become part of the artwork by bringing their own tennis ball – scuffed, chewed, grungy or graffitied – to exchange with one of the fresh balls on the nearly 1km of shelving inside the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre. The result is a playful, participatory art experience from one of the UK’s most recognisable contemporary artists. Participants are rewarded with a pin badge decorated with the exhibition title, in Shrigley’s distinctive handwriting (limited to the first 3,000 participants).
British artist, David Shrigley OBE, is internationally acclaimed for his distinctive and darkly comic style, using humour to highlight the absurdities of everyday life. He has published more than 40 books, and was a finalist in the 2013 Turner Prize following his critically acclaimed retrospective Brain Activity, as well as being selected for the Fourth Plinth Commission in London’s Trafalgar Square in 2016, one of the UK’s most high-profile public art commissions.
Toying with notions of commerce and community, the installation interrupts expectations of a gallery context. Visitors are encouraged to return throughout the exhibition’s run to see how the installation evolves, each ball carrying with it a unique story or mark of its past life. It’s a living work shaped by the public – equal parts sculpture, performance, and community archive.
Abigail Moncrieff, Curator and Collections Lead at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre is excited to welcome people into the gallery in a new and playful way.
“David Shrigley’s joyful work invites everyone to get involved and see the work transform with their contribution, which is a perfect fit for Fremantle. We’re delighted to be presenting work by renowned artist David Shrigley that is accessible, humorous and uniquely community-driven.”
The Walyalup Fremantle Tennis Ball Exchange is a satellite exhibition for Fremantle Festival: 10 Nights in Port, open at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre daily from 10AM until 5PM, between Monday, 4 August to 7 September.
Beyond the exhibition, families are invited to a Ball Hunt in the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre grounds from 10am – 12pm, on Saturday 9 August. Alongside the Ball Hunt will be totem tennis, kids entertainment and more.
For more information visit https://wfac.org.au/whats-on/post/david-shrigley-tennis-ball-exchange/
ENDS
For information, interviews & images:
Alice Hamilton
Detail Marketing Communications
alice@detail.com.au
0415 576 577
Two experienced operators have been appointed to run the food and beverage outlets at two of the City of Fremantle’s most popular facilities.
Café owners, Loan and Triet Ly, will take over the café at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre.
It’s a return to a familiar place for the couple, who used to run the very successful Canvas Café at the Arts Centre for more than a decade.
“From a business point of view, we decided that this is the right opportunity for our family,” Loan said.
“After finishing Canvas Café in 2022, we took the time to rest, reflect, travel and start a new business. Now that our business in Victoria Park has been established and is steady, it’s a good time for us to return to the Arts Centre, pick up where we left off and make it even better.”
The City has completed some restoration work on the café, including painting, flooring, electrical and landscaping.
The Ly family is working on a new brand and fresh fit out, with the new café to be called PLATED. There may even be the return of some familiar faces among the kitchen and service staff as well.
It will serve Modern Australian seasonal food to customers seven days a week and will also cater for events and exhibitions in coordination with the Arts Centre team, with picnic baskets and high tea options among the offering.
PLATED is scheduled to open on 1 September 2025. Updates will be posted on Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre’s social media channels.
Meanwhile, the kiosk at the Fremantle Leisure Centre will re-open its doors as Leisure and Bean in early to mid-August 2025.
Owners Walter Goss and Anne-Kathrin Jahn previously ran Little Stove café in Bicton before selling up and travelling the world in late 2023.
“What we enjoyed most about our time at Little Stove was being part of a community and providing a space for people to come for coffee, food and conversation. This will be our main goal for Leisure and Bean as well,” Walter said.
“After taking some personal time to travel and recharge, it has only reminded us that we live in one of the most beautiful spots on earth and we were thrilled when the opportunity presented itself to run a community and neighbourhood-based project in our own backyard again.”
As well as getting to know the Leisure Centre regulars, by providing quality coffee and ‘grab and go’ food items, the husband-and-wife team plans to create an alfresco area outside the Leisure Centre, on the Shuffrey Street side, for passers-by to grab a quick coffee and a bite to eat – starting with some winter warmers like hot soup and porridge.
City of Fremantle CEO Glen Dougall welcomed both new lessees.
“We appreciate the community’s patience, while we worked to secure these long-term leases. We’ve managed to attract some really top-quality hospitality professionals, and we couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” Mr Dougall said.
Above: City of Fremantle CEO Glen Dougall and Fremantle Mayor Hannah Fitzhardinge with cafe owners Loan and Triet Ly at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre.
May 2025: We couldn’t be happier to announce our three incredible judges for the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award 2025.
Hannah Mathews is Director/CEO of the Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts (PICA). Over the last twenty years she has held key curatorial positions at Monash University Museum of Art, Australian Centre for Contemporary Art, Next Wave, The South Project and the Biennale of Sydney.
Hannah’s recent curatorial projects include Shelley Lasica: WHEN I AM NOT THERE (2022); Vivienne Binns: On and through the surface (2022); D Harding: Through a lens of visitation (2021); Agatha Gothe-Snape: The Outcome is Certain (2020); Shapes of Knowledge, MUMA (2019); and Alicia Frankovich & Lili Reynaud Dewar (2018).
Hannah graduated with a Master of Art Curatorship from the University of Melbourne in 2002 and has completed curatorial residencies in New York, Berlin, Tokyo and Venice. She has taught in curatorial programs at Melbourne University, Monash University and RMIT University, Melbourne and has held various board positions, including National Association for the Visual Arts, City of Melbourne Arts & Culture and International Art Space, Perth. Her publication, To Note: Notation Across Disciplines won the inaugural Cornish Family Book Prize for Art and Design Publishing in 2018.
Trent Walter is a Sri Lankan/Australian artist, printer and publisher based in Naarm, Melbourne. He established Negative Press in 2009 which operates as a print and book making studio where Walter works with artists and cultural institutions on printed matter. Negative Press also functions as Walter’s publishing imprint for collaborations with artists and for hosting occasional exhibitions.
Walter was an exhibiting artist with Stuart Geddes, for NIRIN, 22nd Biennale of Sydney 2020. The pair collaborated on NIRIN NGAAY (https://nirin-ngaay.net/), exhibited at Carriageworks and also distributed as a bound print publication. He has also collaborated with Fayen d’Evie for “Essays in Gestural Poetics” 2021 and “Ascending/Descending Sonic Shadows” 2019; and Emily Floyd and Experimental Jetset, Amsterdam, on Floyd’s artists’ book “Female Orgasm: A codex of sorts, after Ursula K Le Guin”.
In 2016, Walter and Brook Andrew were commissioned by the City of Melbourne to create a permanent, public artwork commemorating the lives and public execution of Tunnerminnerwait and Maulboyheenner. The pair were also joint recipients of a Georges Mora Fellowship in 2013–14 and they collaborated on the artists’ book Dual/Duel, published in October 2021.
Trent Walter is a lecturer in Visual Arts at La Trobe University.
Jessyca Hutchens is a Palyku woman living and working on Noongar boodja, and a Lecturer at the School of Indigenous Studies and a Co-Director at the Berndt Museum, at the University of Western Australia. Jessyca is an art historian, curator, and writer who has previously held positions as the Curator at the Berndt Museum, a Curatorial Fellow at the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection at the University of Virginia, the Curatorial Assistant to the Artistic Director for the 22nd Biennale of Sydney, and as a Lecturer in Global Art History at the University of Birmingham.
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Ruby Kingsmill
Detail Marketing Communications
ruby@detail.com.au
0426 243 738
April 2025: Curated by Zali Morgan, the multi-disciplinary exhibition ‘It’s Always Been Always’ is a tribute to Aboriginal women, celebrating their pivotal role as custodians, intrinsic connectors and cultural caretakers.
Bringing together a diverse range of small to large-scale works by six acclaimed Aboriginal female artists from across Australia, the exhibition will centre the voices of Blak women and their powerful connections to Country, Community, and Culture.
Curated by Whadjuk, Balladong, and Wilman Noongar artist Zali Morgan, It’s Always Been Always features newly commissioned and existing works by: Wendy Hubert (Yindjibarndi – Juluwarlu Art Group), Kaylene Whiskey and the Iwantja Young Women’s Film Project, (Yankunytjatjara – Iwantja Arts), Harriette Bryant (Pitjantjatjara – Mimili Maku Arts), Jazz Money (Wiradjuri and Irish), Yabini Kickett (Bibulmun/Noongar), and Amanda Bell (Badimia and Yued Noongar).
Working across differing practices and materialities including video, installation, paint and poetry, these artists will share stories of resilience and kinship, and the unique ways they sustain and nurture their relationships with land, family and identity
Morgan, whose work often explores cultural legacy and connection between women and the land, commented:
“This exhibition champions female Aboriginal artists from across Australia. It seeks to reflect on the resilience of Indigenous women and pay homage to their strength and wisdom which has shaped our communities. Each artist will bring her own story – stories of women, motherhood and femininity – stories that need to be told and which speak to broader contemporary issues in the Australian arts and political landscape. Now is the time to listen to First Nations artists and communities, and in particular, Blak women.”
Abigail Moncrieff, Curator and Collections Lead at Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre, commented on the great honour in celebrating the strength and wisdom of these six women artists and their stories in the galleries in Walyalup Fremantle.
“It’s Always Been Always will transform the gallery into an immersive space with artworks ranging from a 9-metre painting by Yindjibarndi Elder, Cultural Custodian and Linguist Wendy Hubert, to a site responsive text installation by Amanda Bell, to the vibrant and joyous video work of Kaylene Whiskey and the Iwantja Young Women’s Film Project.”
“It’s Always Been Always will share the diverse stories of Indigenous women and celebrate their central role in preserving culture and shaping the future of their communities.”
It’s Always Been Always will exhibit at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre on Saturday, 3 May – Sunday, 3 August 2025.
For more information, visit: https://www.fac.org.au/whats-on/post/61861/
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Ruby Kingsmill
Detail Marketing Communications
ruby@detail.com.au
0426 243 738
About Zali Morgan
Zali Morgan is a Noongar woman with ancestral connections to Whadjuk, Balladong, and Wilman Boodjar. She was born and raised near Wooditchup on Wardandi Boodjar and is now based near Boorloo. Zali has a deep passion for working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art and artists, particularly uplifting Noongar art and artists. With a keen interest in decolonising practices, she has worked closely with private and institutional collections, including the Art Gallery of Western Australia, Wesfarmers Arts, and the Berndt Museum of Anthropology. Recently, Zali has curated exhibitions for John Curtin Gallery, Edith Cowan University, City of Joondalup, and Bunbury Regional Art Gallery. She is the Noongar Residency Curator at Goolugatup Heathcote and is the 2025 Revealed Curator at the Perth Institute of Contemporary Art. Zali is dedicated to reshaping narratives around Aboriginal art by challenging colonial frameworks and advocating for sovereignty in creative expressions.
MARCH 2025: Australia’s most prestigious print prize has announced a boost to its prize pool as it
opens submissions nationally to emerging and established artists.
The acquisitive biennale exhibition will return in August 2025 for its 47th year, marking it the nation’s longest running and most sought-after print award.
The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award will this year award the ‘First Prize’ winner $20,000. While the ‘First Nation’ and Young Emerging’ print prizes will each award $5,000. The total prize pool has grown to $30,000, making it the nation’s biggest print prize.
The Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award will be judged by a panel of nationally acclaimed artists and academics.
Judges will be looking for a diverse selection of prints and artist books which challenge what print making is in its many forms; from small to large-scale across a range of innovative and emerging print making methods including 3D, textile, etching, lino and wood cutting, digital and screen printing.
Abigail Moncrieff, Curator & Collections Lead at the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre commented that this was an exciting moment for artists to be part of the country’s most prestigious print award.
“We’re excited to open submissions to the Walyalup Fremantle Art Centre Print Award and announce a boost to the prize pool. We felt it was time for the value of the prize to be refreshed and we hope this will encourage artists from across the country to enter this fantastic award, which seeks to represent contemporary print making today.”
Exhibition highlights in recent years have included Jacky Cheng’s Yue Lao – God of Matchmaking and Marriage, created from recycled Chinese calendar papers; Jay Staples and Stephen Brameld’s incidental artwork Forest, a Merbau tannin timber-to-fabric transfer on canvas, and Kieren Karritpul’s Traditional Fish Basket, a collagraph print.
Submissions are open until 2 June 2025. The exhibition will take place in August at the Walyalup Fremantle Art Centre.
All exhibited artworks are for sale with the winning piece acquired for the City of Fremantle Art Collection, the largest municipal art collection in WA.
To find out more, visit: https://www.wfac.org.au/whats-on/post/2025-fremantle-arts-centre-print-award/
ENDS
For more information, please contact:
Ruby Kingsmill
Detail Marketing Communications
ruby@detail.com.au
0426 243 738
NOTES TO THE EDITOR
• The First Nations Print Prize is supported by Wesfarmers Arts
• The Young Emerging Print Prize is supported by Fremantle Community Bank
ABOUT THE PRINT AWARD
The Walyalup Fremantle Art Centre Print Award was founded in 1976, just a few years after the establishment of the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre. The prize was initiated by Ian Templeman as a way of attracting interstate artists and audiences to the young gallery.
Now in its 47th year, the Print Awards is the Walyalup Fremantle Arts Centre’s longest running exhibition series and Australia’s premier print award. The award attracts entries from a huge range of established and emerging artists from across Australia
12 March 2025 – Fremantle, Australia: Fremantle International Street Arts Festival (FISAF) has today revealed its spectacular 2025 lineup set to transform the City’s streets into a vibrant stage for global creativity over the Easter long weekend (18 April – 21 April 2025).
Celebrating its 25 year anniversary, this year’s festival will bring a fittingly exclusive fire-filled spectacle to Fremantle’s streets, with the West Australian premiere of ‘Amor’ by France’s Compagnie Bilbobasso.
‘Amor’ will headline FISAF’s growing After Dark program of festivities with a wild pyrotechnic display that combines the passion of Argentinian tango with explosive theatrics, luring visitors to further explore the streets of Fremantle every evening.
Kicking off on Good Friday, the 25 year anniversary of FISAF will feature a stellar roster of acts that push the boundaries of street theatre with a bundle of Western Australian first experiences.
A completely free family friendly experience throughout the Easter long weekend, street performers set to make their Australian premiere at this year’s FISAF, include:
- Imagicario (Canada): Visitors can meet the otherworldly, playful and colourful puppets inspired by fictional biodiversity as they roam through the Fremantle’s streets on stilts over two metres high.
- Haribow (Japan): Hop, skip and jump to a musical showcase with this energetic double dutch group from Japan, who famously placed as finalists in Series 17 of Britain’s Got Talent.
- Torpeza Rítmika (Argentina): Festival-goers will have the chance to meet this self-taught clown and experience a rollercoaster of emotions as they journey through a poetic and surrealistic performance.
Boasting an expansive lineup of over 70 artists, international performances hero alongside home-grown Australian acts, with spellbinding Indigenous-led dreamtime acrobatic troupe Living Sculptures: How the Birds Got Their Colours returning to Western Australia for FISAF to perform against the backdrop of Fremantle’s Esplanade Park.
Kicking off at 12pm on Good Friday, performances will be staged across eight iconic Fremantle venues, including the National, Fremantle Prison, FOMO Freo, Sail & Anchor and Esplanade Park, with roaming acts also set to surprise and delight festival-goers throughout the day and night.
Festival Creative Producer Brendan Coleman said this year’s lineup reaffirms the festival’s commitment to showcasing both internationally renowned and emerging local talent.
“This year’s lineup truly captures the essence of FISAF’s transformative street arts experience, which we have proudly delivered to the public for the past 25 years. In particular, we are thrilled to welcome Amor by Compagnie Bilbobasso to this year’s festival lineup, where audiences can entangle themselves in a captivating love story and argument, featuring explosions and dances with fire right here in Fremantle,” said Coleman.
FISAF’s humble beginnings commenced in 1999, with the festival becoming a landmark event on the Western Australian calendar each year during the Easter long weekend.
The festival is now renowned globally as the largest street arts festival in Australasia, attracting thousands of eager-eyed festival goers in search of something unusual to experience on Fremantle’s streets.
Visitors can discover the complete FISAF program and plan their long weekend experience at: https://www.streetartsfestival.com.au/
ENDS
MEDIA CONTACT
Sandra Brkic, NonPlus Studio
Sandra@nonplus.co | 0401 686 177
Brought to you by the City of Fremantle and proudly supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism Western Australia
