The City of Canning open arts studio pilot program has received unanimous support from council and will commence early next year.
Open Art Studios initiatives facilitate direct engagement and cultural exchange between artists and the broader community by granting public access to private creative spaces.
The concept sees artists open their studios for a designated period, such as a week or weekend. These programs often include demonstrations, workshops, and dialogues to enrich the experience to visitors.
The interactive format of these programs aim to foster cultural development and local economic activity, enriching the community’s cultural landscape.
Local Canning artists have been involved in other local government open art studio programs as guests only and are thrilled to have this pilot program initiated in the City of Canning.
“This is a very welcomed program by not only myself, but also many other local Canning artists” local Willetton Studio owner, artist and art teacher Jana Vodesil-Baruffi said.
To inform development of a localised Open Art Studios Program, the City of Canning engaged with the Cities of Melville and Stirling to learn from their approach.
The 2024 Canning Art Awards will be leveraged as an opportunity to introduce and spark interest in the Open Art Studios Program among local artists and the wider community and will complement the increasingly popular Annual Canning Art Awards.
To enhance the inclusivity and outreach of the Open Art Studios Program, the City will engage with key community stakeholders, including the Canning Arts Group, local schools, and art education programs, with a view to exploring avenues for their involvement in the Program and to consider establishing hub locations. This initiative will provide a platform for individual artists lacking personal studio space, making the Program more accessible and beneficial to a larger segment of the artistic community in Canning.
Upon the conclusion of the pilot Program and subsequent analysis of the gathered data, the foundation for future iterations of the Program will be established and the City would be supportive of an industry-based Canning open arts studio program going forward.
“I am incredibly excited for our local arts community. They have been waiting for a long time for a program like this in Canning. This program means our local talented artists will be able to participate in a program in their home localities rather than being a guest in another local government area,” Deputy Mayor Amanda Spencer-Teo said.
