❓ The Minister for Regional Development provides an update on the new art gallery for Martumili artists in Newman, funded by Royalties for Regions and BHP, highlighting its economic and cultural significance for the Pilbara.
AnsweredQoN 620Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MARTUMILI ARTISTS — GALLERY
620. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional
Development:
I understand that the minister was in Newman recently to
announce royalties for regions funding towards a new arts facility and gallery
for Martumili artists. Can the minister update the house on this innovative
project and on the positive outcomes that this gallery will have for artists in
the greater Pilbara region?
620. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Minister for Regional
Development:
I understand that the minister was in Newman recently to
announce royalties for regions funding towards a new arts facility and gallery
for Martumili artists. Can the minister update the house on this innovative
project and on the positive outcomes that this gallery will have for artists in
the greater Pilbara region?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for North West for the question; he is a
big supporter of Indigenous art. Following on from the Minister for Tourism's
discussion about tourism numbers and events and the like, it is important, as
we encourage more tourists to venture out to the regions, that we add new
product for them to visit and see, particularly in the Pilbara, where we are
determined as a government, under the Pilbara Cities initiative, to diversify
the economy and provide more opportunities for the communities in the north
west. The Martumili artists are renowned across the state. Their work is shown
in galleries across the nation. It is quite confronting, for an artist group
that gets so much publicity and produces such spectacular work, to see the two
prefab buildings, with a bit of shadecloth strung between them, that is their
gallery at the moment. All their most spectacular paintings are rolled up on
shelves in these tiny premises.
I was, therefore, very proud to be in Newman on the weekend
to announce to the Martumili Artists that the government and BHP are partnering
to deliver a $7.5 million brand-new art gallery to enable their works to be
displayed in a state-of-the art, modern facility. There is funding of $3.5 million
from royalties for regions, and $4 million from BHP, for a new gallery for the
sale and display of their artwork, work spaces for artists, fire-rated storage,
and two dwellings for staff accommodation so that their important staff can be
housed. I acknowledge Billy Atkins, one of the leading artists from the
Martumili group, and also Gabrielle Sullivan, the manager of Martumili Artists,
and her team, for putting the project together. The design of this facility is
quite spectacular. The Port Hedland recreation facility is quite an icon in
terms of architectural design in Port Hedland. The Martumili arts facility will
also be quite an iconic design and iconic building, and it will be a real entry
statement into the community of Newman, which I think will help define the new
vision that we have for the East Pilbara. The design was determined in a
competition led by the Martumili Artists, supported by the Shire of East
Pilbara, the University of Western Australia school of architecture and design
and BHP Billiton. The winning design was by Trent Woods from Officer Woods
Architects, who was chosen by the representatives of Martumili Artists to undertake
this project. They are now doing their final due diligence. Hopefully,
construction will be underway in the first half of next year. I encourage all
members to make an opportunity to travel to Newman as this project gets
underway and give their support to the Martumili Artists. They will be putting
on a display in Fremantle at the end of this month.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
you buy any?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
All members will see an invitation to that. We need to do more to encourage the
diversity of the economy, and partnering with the traditional owners such as
the Martumili Artists to build on their wonderful culture and history is a
great way of diversifying the economy in the Pilbara.
big supporter of Indigenous art. Following on from the Minister for Tourism's
discussion about tourism numbers and events and the like, it is important, as
we encourage more tourists to venture out to the regions, that we add new
product for them to visit and see, particularly in the Pilbara, where we are
determined as a government, under the Pilbara Cities initiative, to diversify
the economy and provide more opportunities for the communities in the north
west. The Martumili artists are renowned across the state. Their work is shown
in galleries across the nation. It is quite confronting, for an artist group
that gets so much publicity and produces such spectacular work, to see the two
prefab buildings, with a bit of shadecloth strung between them, that is their
gallery at the moment. All their most spectacular paintings are rolled up on
shelves in these tiny premises.
I was, therefore, very proud to be in Newman on the weekend
to announce to the Martumili Artists that the government and BHP are partnering
to deliver a $7.5 million brand-new art gallery to enable their works to be
displayed in a state-of-the art, modern facility. There is funding of $3.5 million
from royalties for regions, and $4 million from BHP, for a new gallery for the
sale and display of their artwork, work spaces for artists, fire-rated storage,
and two dwellings for staff accommodation so that their important staff can be
housed. I acknowledge Billy Atkins, one of the leading artists from the
Martumili group, and also Gabrielle Sullivan, the manager of Martumili Artists,
and her team, for putting the project together. The design of this facility is
quite spectacular. The Port Hedland recreation facility is quite an icon in
terms of architectural design in Port Hedland. The Martumili arts facility will
also be quite an iconic design and iconic building, and it will be a real entry
statement into the community of Newman, which I think will help define the new
vision that we have for the East Pilbara. The design was determined in a
competition led by the Martumili Artists, supported by the Shire of East
Pilbara, the University of Western Australia school of architecture and design
and BHP Billiton. The winning design was by Trent Woods from Officer Woods
Architects, who was chosen by the representatives of Martumili Artists to undertake
this project. They are now doing their final due diligence. Hopefully,
construction will be underway in the first half of next year. I encourage all
members to make an opportunity to travel to Newman as this project gets
underway and give their support to the Martumili Artists. They will be putting
on a display in Fremantle at the end of this month.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
you buy any?
Mr B.J. GRYLLS :
All members will see an invitation to that. We need to do more to encourage the
diversity of the economy, and partnering with the traditional owners such as
the Martumili Artists to build on their wonderful culture and history is a
great way of diversifying the economy in the Pilbara.
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