Creative Artist - Issue 10_

Housed

within

an iconic

heritage

building and

beautiful

grounds,

Fremantle

Arts Centre

in Western

Australia is

the City of

Fremantle’s

premier arts

service and

one of the

leading arts

organisations

nationwide.

Fremantle Arts Centre

EXHIBIT A

T

he imposing neo-gothic building in which the

Arts Centre is housed has a fascinating and

varied history spanning more than 150 years.

Starting its life in the 1860s as a convict-built lunatic

asylum, this evocative limestone building has also

served as a US Navy submarine depot during WWII,

a Women’s Home, a technical college and a museum.

The building was also the focus of one of WA’s irst

heritage struggles. For the past 40 years the site

has been home to Fremantle Arts Centre, a vibrant

creative, community hub which presents a rich

program of contemporary art exhibitions, live music,

art classes and events.

Fremantle Arts Centre began in 1973 with

Ian Templeman appointed its irst Director, who

established FAC as a major supporter of literature

and the arts in Western Australia. FAC quickly

developed a reputation as a place to see new work

by emerging and, importantly, Western Australian

artists. Visited by 80,000 people in its inaugural

year, the Arts Centre was embraced by the local arts

and Perth community.

In 1976, the Fremantle Print Award, now the

Fremantle Arts Centre Print Award supported by

Little Creatures Brewing, was established, placing

the Arts Centre on the national stage. The Award

has since risen to become the richest and most

prestigious award for printmaking in the country,

presenting the best selection of prints and artist

books by established, emerging and cross-

disciplinary artists nationally. Known for celebrating

both traditional printmaking techniques and

showcasing innovation in the medium – from 3D

prints to found printed objects – the Award features

a national judging panel and $22,000 in prize

money.

Alongside the Print Award, FAC’s exhibition

program ofers a diverse selection of local, national

and international artists, with recent shows by

celebrated Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson for the

Perth International Arts Festival and collaborations

with acclaimed Western Australian artist Rebecca

Baumann. Baumann’s exhibition ‘Manoeuvres’ (21

Nov 2015 – 24 Jan 2016) saw the artist construct

Photography by Jessica Wyld

Image

Above: Fremantle Ar ts

Centre