Shire of Pingelly secures $50,000 grant to foster arts and culture in the community

The Shire of Pingelly has received a $50,000 grant to develop a plan for working with local creative groups on a shared vision for fostering arts and culture in the community.

The shire was one of four regional towns sharing $140,000 through the State Government’s Regional Arts and Cultural Investment program.

The Shire received the grant to develop the Pingelly Arts and Culture Plan, which would seek to partner with arts, crafts and cultural groups to form a cohesive community arts vision.

“This plan aims to encourage artists to engage in their activities, promote arts engagement, attract tourists and develop business plans for community arts groups,” Shire chief executive Andrew Dover said.

“(It aims) to create local employment opportunities by partnering with arts, crafts and cultural groups to form a cohesive vision that reflects the local community.”

Mr Dover said prior to the grant, the Shire lacked a unified vision for the future of arts and culture in the town.

“Pingelly has not had an arts and culture plan before, however there are several groups working in this space, including the community resource centre,” he said.

“They have taken a lead role in obtaining artists in residence and organising an inclusive facilitated workshop with Peter Kenyon, a renowned workshop facilitator.

“Several arts groups exist, while others have started and are continuing around their area of interest.”

The shire will enlist the help of a professional facilitator to engage with stakeholders and develop a public art strategy, a rotational display strategy for the art space in the town hall and the next steps for supporting artists.

Shire president William Mulroney said the plan would help drive the future success of art in the region.

“The community strategic plan aims for the Shire to be grant-ready by developing plans and business cases for priority projects and programs,” he said.

“The Pingelly Arts and Culture Plan will develop a shared vision and actions across the community for the advancement of the arts which will be used to obtain further grant funding to beautify the public spaces and invigorate the local arts scene.”