PLWA Creative Hub | A new industry model

Kaya.

I was alone in the great hunkerdown and then I began to orbit a powerful community who had assembled.

The force of gravity grew greater and greater until

I felt held.

I felt provoked

but also I felt held and nurtured.

A sustained ongoing high.
Dropping into the trenches of thoughts….
Some true beauty and a reminder of what we do and what we love.

Truth. Trust.

Exploration.
Wonderful women and wolves.

Connection. Creativity. Community. Collaboration. Calm. Conversation. Cooking. Culture.

B u z z i n g.

Winding up and looking forward.
Hope for change.

Lets together go round to make it happen.

Continue.

– Poem by Alex Desebrock, participating artist, following the Hub –

While the world was grasping with the ripple effects of the COVID pandemic, Performing Lines WA turned its focus immediately to independent artists and how we could support them. This sparked the PLWA Creative Hub, a month-long takeover of Subiaco Arts Centre (July 13th to August 8th 2020) supported by Lotterywest.

Over four weeks, the Creative Hub:

Paid 65 independent artists and art-workers, including 12 emerging culturally diverse artists, to be part of the Hub;
Supported a further 44 independent artists to work and participate in the Hub;
Engaged a total of 721 professional arts workers across our public program;
Enabled 20 creative developments of new West Australian works;
Provided 12 small-group discussions on pressing topics affecting our sector;
Curated 7 panel conversations with national Arts leaders, inspiring big-picture thinking;
Delivered 10 practice sharing sessions where artists shared their skills and creative processes;
Offered 8 showings and engaged in a methodology of critical feedback;
Served 80 bowls of soup to provide warmth, conversation and company.

Hear from Senior Producer Rachael Whitworth about the outcomes of the Hub:

The Creative Hub was clearly game-changing! Making space for artists to work without having to produce a particular outcome; making space for artists to connect and build community; making space for important conversations that the sector needs to be having; making space for conversations about things that the artists and makers are passionate about.”

Participating artist

Hear performance-maker Georgia King, from Whiskey & Boots, talk about what it’s been like being part of this unique residency.

At a time of extreme stress on the industry, it was vitally important to gather and assess how others are affected and to discuss strategies moving forward.’
We do not collaborate enough. We often spend time in our own sillos. This creates a culture of secrecy, sometimes suspicion and separation. The Creative Hub meant over time it became clear we are all in this together. We are stronger together. We can make change together”

Participating artists

Culturally Diverse Artist Ensemble

Half-way through our month-long artist residency, we partnered with CircuitWest who funded regional presenters to come and connect with our cohort of artists and indie producers.

Getting the big picture of what is happening across the State really helps frame things that are happening at a local level. The conversations were illuminating, inspiring and have left me (aside from feeling quite exhausted!) even more determined to make sure that arts experiences in my community are deeper, richer and more thought-provoking. It was incredibly useful to hear artists and producers talk about their needs – there are already small things that I now know I can do to make future collaborations and programming decisions much easier for both sides.”

Cait Stewart, Manager ARtS Narrogin

Resources

Decolonising Arts Spaces
With Kylie Bracknell, Shelagh Magadza, Sisonke Msimang and Caroline Wood.