ALL SMILES AT FREMANTLE STREET ARTS FESTIVAL

 

 

Here just a few impressions of what Fremantle looks like during the Street Arts Festival. I did my back so could not stay on, but will shoot some more pics the next two days

Hundreds of people were wandering around the Cappuccino Strip well before noon, so not really sure why the performances there only start at 1pm, but a few lucky ones knew the entertainment did start on the Esplanade at 12.

Really good vibe around town, happy people and happy smiling children, and the sun was shining.

Come and enjoy the fun. It is on all day Sunday and Monday from midday!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE INTERNATIONAL PORTRAIT PRIZE IS ON AGAIN

 

 

Start portrait shooting, Freo and beyond! The great Fremantle International Portrait Prize biennial is on again this year in early May and it is open to all!

The very popular event attracted over 1,500 entries last time and the judges expect to have to go through even more stunning portrait photography entries this year.

The not-for-profit event has raised $ 55,000 for a good cause so far and this year will donate to The Kai Eardly Fund and Arthritis&Osteoporosis WA.

There are $ 20,000 in prizes to be won so check out the Facebook page for more information.

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE’S ARTY ARTHUR’S HEAD

 

 

Two arty photos I took this morning in Fremantle. The top one is new art by J Shed sculptor Greg James in front of the door to stone artist Jina Lee‘s studio there.

The bottom photo is of footprints in the Whalers Tunnel.

Roel Loopers

CRAWFORD’S BEAUTIFUL STILL LIFE ON SHOW

 

 

Fremantle artist Nellie Crawford will have her 13th exhibition at the Yallingup Galleries from April 20, so if you are going down south over Easter make sure to pop in to view her beautiful still life paintings.

Also exhibiting are Douglas Kirsop and Larry Mitchell.

Roel Loopers

GREAT ABORIGINAL ART REVEALED AT FAC

 

 

You still have three hours to get to the REVEALED Aboriginal Art Market at the Fremantle Arts Centre.

New and emerging Aboriginal artists from all over WA, and some of the remotest communities, exhibit their work and many of them are there in person, so say g’day.

A big mob of art lovers was waiting this morning before the gates were opened and I heard that there was a massive crowd at the official opening last night as well.

It is on till 5pm today, so hurry!

Roel Loopers

WHY HOLD ON TO FREO’S FAILED ARTS PRECINCT?

 

I am absolutely not sure where the City of Fremantle is going with the Bathers Beach Art Precinct. They constantly talk about activating Arthur’s Head and the West End of the City, but now they are renting out studio spaces where the artists only have to be open to the public one day in six months. That is ridiculous!

All it means it that we have more closed doors at Captain’s Lane and I hear that the No 4 Studio at J Shed also is not required to open to the public.

Why does the City hold on to this failed concept when only the Glen Cowans photography gallery and the David Giles abstract art studios open regularly and several days a week, while the rest keep their door closed and create an ambience of ghost town?

Here is the EOI for artist studios at 10 Captain’s Lane and also in the Moores Building art centre in Henry Street:

The City is calling for proposals from artists to secure low-cost studio space within the City of Fremantle Studios Program.

The program encompasses Studios 1–2 in the Moores Building, 46 Henry St and Studios 1–6 at 10 Captains Lane, Bathers Beach Art Precinct, both in the City’s historic West End.

This call out applies to Studios 5 and 6 at 10 Captains Lane, both available for a hire term of 6 months to one artist. Artists have 7 day a week, 24 hr access and studio floor space per room ranges from ~10.35–11m2. The total cost is $60 per week charged monthly and in advance.

Studios are purely workspaces and non-commercial. Artists will need to commit to a minimum of one open studio event in the 6 month period.

Submissions close 5pm, Friday 26 April 2019.

• Download the EOI document.

Roel Loopers

COUNCIL SUPPORT FOR NEW FREMANTLE ABORIGINAL CENTRE

 

 

Plans for an Aboriginal cultural centre at J Shed were talked about in detail at last night’s FPOL Committee of Fremantle Council.

Although I first suggested we could keep J Shed and the cultural centre could be built on Victoria Quay, I quite agree  with Councillor Rachel Pemberton that Manjaree/Arthur’s Head is very significant, as it was the first point of contact between the British settlers/invaders and the Whadjuk Noongar people.

Pemberton said this would be an opportunity to make the precinct a place of healing where we could move forward together and share our cultures.

Councillor Andrew Sullivan said the officers’ report was amazing and much better than what Councillors had received previously. The area was important for all Aboriginal and local people, not just the Noongars and that a cultural centre should have the appropriate State level importance and not be a Freo City facility.

Sullivan also warned about rising sea levels that might impact on a new building at Bathers Beach and was skeptical about relocating J Shed-again.

Councillor Sam Wainwright said this was the right direction in consideration with the relationship Bathers Bay has with Wadjemup/Rottnest Island, while Councillor Doug Thompson called for further investigation and community consultation.

Councillor and FPOL Chair Hannah Fitzhardinge also pointed out the opportunities to collaborate with what is planned for Rottnest Island and that there should be a Walyalup Wadjemup dialogue about that. Great idea!

I wonder though if J Shed is going to be relocated, and that is still many years away, if the present artists there could not also relocate with the shed or be offered alternative studios in A Shed on Victoria Quay or elsewhere in Fremantle, instead of just letting them go, as their contribution to our city has been significant.

Roel Loopers

PS: The yellow circle in the photo is of an art studio for lease at Captain’s Lane.

 

PEACE IN FREO’S YELLOW WAR

 

 

There appears to be a peace agreement in the Fremantle yellow art war with former Mayor Peter Tagliaferri agreeing that the City of Fremantle remove the yellow foil and repair and repaint his building on the corner of Cliff and High streets.

I am not sure if Tagliaferri has withdrawn his $ 50,000 writ against the City but that seems logic.

The removal of the fantastic and highly popular Felice Varini Arcs D’Ellipse, which was installed for the 2017 Fremantle Festival, proved far more difficult than anticipated and forced Fremantle Council to increase the removal/repaint budget from $ 15,000 to $ 220,000, but I have been told the final cost will be much less than that.

The repainted buildings along High Street look better than they have in 20 years and the workers are now painting the entire facade of the building that houses the Roma restaurant and Blink cafe.

The City will also install four large planter boxes along High Street from Cliff Street to Chalkys cafe to hide the unattractive Notre Dame University carpark there. As a quirky reminder of the great Varini artwork and controversy removing it the boxes will have a yellow stripe on them. Great idea!

Roel Loopers

FREMANTLE WELCOMES AUSTRALIAN TOURISM EXCHANGE

 

tug boats and container vessels in fremantle port, western australia, australia

blessing of the fleet procession through the streets of fremantle in western australia, australia

 

Fremantle welcomes the delegate for the Australian Tourism Exchange 2019. We hope you love your time in our gorgeous city!

Around 1,500 Australian seller delegates from approximately 550 companies, 650 key buyer delegates from over 30 countries, and 70 international and Australian media attend this global event.

Organised by Tourism Australia in partnership with Tourism Western Australia, ATE19 will take place at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre from 8 to 12 April.

The Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE) is Australia’s largest annual travel and tourism business-to-business event.

The event brings together Australian tourism businesses, and tourism wholesalers and retailers from around the world through a combination of scheduled business appointments and networking events. It also provides international travel buyers with the opportunity to experience Australia’s tourism offering first-hand through pre and post-event familiarisations.

Have fun!

Roel Loopers

 

J SHED PREFERRED FOR ABORIGINAL CULTURAL CENTRE

 

 

J Shed at Bathers Beach has come up as the preferred location for a new Aboriginal Cultural Centre in Fremantle, with the possibility of the relocation of J Shed and building a site specific centre at Manjaree(Arthur’s Head).

In November 2017 Council agreed to do a feasibility study for a dedicated Aboriginal centre in Fremantle and engage in extensive consultation with the Whadjuk Noongar people.

Three locations were considered; Pioneer Park, Victoria Quay and J Shed, and the latter came out as the preferred option.

The new centre would be celebrating Aboriginal history and Noongar culture with focus on tourism.

The J Shed location has been chosen due to its cultural significance, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal heritage and walkable connection to key visitor points within Fremantle’s historic foreshore. The programming of the Cultural Centre would be developed around three spaces, being public, private and transitional. These spaces allows for cultural sensitivities through to outright public display/tourism. Although programming of the Cultural Centre is recognised as flexible there is a focus on ‘the keeping’ and ‘sharing’ of cultural knowledge including promotion and practising of the arts. This provides a solid framework from which the project can develop.

A conceptual agreed direction has been reached which followed the principles developed through the process. This is focused on providing appropriate space for multiple programs, including outdoor space. The Visioning Report takes into account economic as well as cultural sustainability issues with a strong focus on preservation and sharing of the knowledge and culture of the Traditional Owners.

The scope of such project demands funding from the State and Federal Governments as the total cost would be beyond the City’s capacity to fund, so a strategic approach is recommended to funding and partnerships for the construction and operation of the centre.

I am delighted that we are finally at this stage as I have been among many who have been shouting out for an Aboriginal centre in Fremantle, however I believe it needs to be a WA Aboriginal centre that tells the history of Yagan in the South West to Jandamara in the Kimberley.

It would also be essential for City officers and Councillors to do a study trip to look how and why other centres, such as Mowanjum, Warmun and Mangkaja work well, and even have a look at the excellent Visitor Centre at Karrinjini for reference.

It is important to make sure the centre is independently and professionally managed to avoid family feuding. While is should be a meeting place for local Noongars, it should also become a meeting place for all Fremantle people, Western Australians and overseas and interstate visitors. That will require a lot of money, so it needs to be a WA facility and not a Fremantle one. If it is not inclusive it will not be successful.

This is going to be a long-term project, but I am very hopeful that Fremantle will get funding and management support from the WA Labor Government and the Labor Federal Government after the May election.

The item is on the agenda of this Wednesday’s FPOL Committee.

Roel Loopers